A Choice Within A Dream
by delinquent-romantic
Summary: Harry and the other muggles didn't get their letters to Hogwarts. They live nonmagic lives, but when Harry glimpses a life of magic, he needs to make a choice.
1. Together but not Forever

The Choice Within A Dream (Le Choix Dans Un Rêve)  
  
Complete Summary: The muggles in the Harry Potter series did not receive their letters from Hogwarts because a very strict Headmaster, who does not accept muggles, runs the school. So Harry, Hermione and Dean Thomas don't know anything about magic or anything that is associated with it (including Ron). It's like Hogwarts never happened.  
Harry lives a normal life, with both his parents and his two best friends, Hermione and Dean. But in a dream, Harry finds himself in a magical world where there is a boy named Ron, where he is famous for a lightning bolt scar but, a world wherein his parents are dead.  
In the end, Harry Potter has to choose between living the life of a muggle, or living in the world of magic.  
  
*Note* I'm putting French translations, because I want to. Hehehe. Hope you like this story, and if you're confused, or you hate it, or you like it =) .then just review and say so. Oh and the French translation is actually 'Together but not for always'. Just so you don't sue me. And I don't own Harry Potter. J. K. Rowling does, though.  
  
+read, enjoy, review+  
  
Chapter 6 - Together but not Forever (Ensemble mais pas pour toujours)  
  
"I'm home!" Harry called cheerfully as he walked in the front door. The light in the kitchen was on, and dropping his bags on the floor, headed for the kitchen. He found his mom cooking dinner. "Hey, mum."  
  
Lily Potter looked up at her son, a twinkle in her eyes. "Welcome back, Harry. We sorely missed you," she said reaching over and hugging him. Then she proceeded to kiss him on the forehead and cheek, a ritual she'd been doing ever since he was a baby.  
  
Harry leaned back, and frowned at his mother. "Mum, I'm eighteen years, not eighteen months," he said, wondering what Hermione would think if she saw his mother kissing him like that. He wouldn't mind though if Hermione kissed him like that. She definitely wasn't his mother.  
  
Lily shook her head. "My child is all grown up."  
  
"Oh, mum, don't go all sappy on me now," Harry warned, opening the cupboard and taking out a glass. He poured himself some apple juice. "Where's dad?"  
  
"He'll be home soon," she replied stirring the contents on the casserole.  
  
Harry didn't say anything at first, neither did she. He wondered how he would tell his mom that he now had a girlfriend. She, of course, would hug him and kiss him that way again, and tell him it was about time that Hermione realize what a handsome boy Harry was.  
  
He cleared his throat. "Erm," he began shifting in his stance, and putting down the glass on the counter. His mother was looking expectantly at him. He took a deep breath, "HermioneandIaretogethernow," he said in a rush.  
  
His mother let a shriek, and just as Harry predicted, she threw her arms around Harry in a hug. Then she kissed him on the forehead, and leaning back to admire him, she said, "Well it's about time that two of you got together. Your father and I were seriously considering having to send both of you away for you to put two and two together!"  
  
Harry blushed. He wasn't sure how his mother had understood the rush of words that left his mouth. He was apt to that whenever he was nervous.  
  
She went back to her cooking, and began a monologue on how she recalled the way that Harry and Hermione would tease each other through the years. "Honestly, I think Dean caught on faster than you did," she said to Harry.  
  
Harry shrugged. "Well Dean's a fast one."  
  
"Didn't you tell me he plays soccer?" she asked taking out a jar of something from the cupboard. She popped the lid and began pouring the contents in a pan.  
  
"Er, yeah," Harry answered running a hand through his hair. "His favorite team is West Ham and he's got their moves all memorized now."  
  
"Hmm," his mother murmured absent-mindedly. Harry waited a few minutes, until her attention was back to him. She was definitely not through talking with him. "How was Paris?" she asked.  
  
Harry knew she'd get to that sooner, than later. "It was okay."  
  
Lily gave her son a searching look. "Where did you kiss her?"  
  
Harry blushed, his hands on his pockets. He sure didn't feel comfortable talking to his mother about this girl he had kissed. He answered in reply though, "Atop the Eiffel Tower."  
  
"Ooh, well isn't that romantic," she remarked, smiling. "You must have swept her off her feet with your irresistible charms," she added. Just then, they heard a car pull up and the engine dying off. "Good, just in time."  
  
Within seconds, the front door opened and Harry heard his father call out to them. His mother quickly abandoned her cooking, and Harry saw to the task of turning off the stove before the food got burnt. Then he himself headed out to the foyer because he was sure his mother had already told the news.  
  
"Well, well," Harold Potter began with a smile as Harry approached. "You little devil."  
  
Harry shook his head. The teasing he would have to endure. He wondered if Hermione's parents were teasing her as well.  
  
"I'd say Paris definitely is the city of romance," his father added.  
  
"But I hope not more than that," his mother suddenly said. Both parents looked at Harry as though he did something wrong.  
  
Harry held up his hands. He knew what his parents were thinking, and he said, "Nothing like that happened, all right." He felt uncomfortable having to undergo all this scrutiny from his parents, even if they were his parents.  
  
"Good," his mother said nodding, as she headed back to the kitchen. "I did not raise my son without any morals or values." She disappeared into the kitchen, and moments later, they heard her setting up the table for dinner.  
  
Harry felt his father approach, and prepared himself for that safety-don't- do-anything-you'll-regret-later speech. But what he said instead was different.  
  
"I'm proud of you, son."  
  
Harry grinned. "Thanks, dad. I'll never let you down."  
  
His father chuckled softly. "Never is a pretty long time, even for you. Just as long as I live, and you live, you mean," he said and they both headed to the dining room. "Mmm, your mother sure is a great cook."  
  
That night, Harry lay in bed, thinking of school tomorrow. He knew that even before he'd get there, people would be talking about him and Hermione. That they were together now. He didn't have to figure out who would spread the rumors, but he did wonder if it would be Dean or Mona. Whoever beat the loser, he decided.  
  
Then his thoughts centered on Hermione. He didn't deny it now. He surely was in love, and it was the best feeling in the world. Having her close to him gave him a feeling of contentment and repose. She was the one who could calm him, and soothe him.  
  
He wondered if she would be the one he would marry in the end. He knew he was too young to even be thinking about marriage. But it would one day come to him. He wanted to be with Hermione, forever.  
  
'Never is a pretty long time.'  
  
The words of his father echoed in his mind, and Harry sighed. He wanted to be with Hermione forever but he had to be content with being with for as long as they lived.  
  
Together, but not for forever.  
  
Harry sighed deeply, as he stared at the ceiling. What he was thinking of was still far off in the future. He decided, for now, he'd concentrate on the present.  
  
He fell asleep thinking of her beautiful face. 


	2. Plans for Paris

The Choice Within A Dream (Le Choix Dans Un Rêve)  
  
Complete Summary: The muggles in the Harry Potter series did not receive their letters from Hogwarts because a very strict Headmaster, who does not accept muggles, runs the school. So Harry, Hermione and Dean Thomas don't know anything about magic or anything that is associated with it (including Ron). It's like Hogwarts never happened.  
Harry lives a normal life, with both his parents and his two best friends, Hermione and Dean Thomas. But in a dream, Harry finds himself in a magical world where there is a boy named Ron, where he is famous for a lightning bolt scar but, a world wherein his parents are dead.  
In the end, Harry Potter has to choose between living the life of a muggle, or living in the world of magic.  
  
*Note* I'm putting French translations, because I want to. Hehehe. Hope you like this story, and if you're confused, or you hate it, or you like it =) . then just review and say so. Enjoy!  
  
Chapter 1 - A New Year (La Nouvelle Année)  
  
"Harry Potter! If you don't come down right this instant I will come up there and drag you down here if I have to!" an irritated voice called from the kitchen.  
  
Eighteen-year old Harry frowned at his reflection in the mirror, hating his hair that looked so untidy. If only he could do something about it. But he couldn't anything so. "I'm coming, mum!" he yelled. He grabbed his backpack and ran downstairs to the kitchen.  
  
"Morning, son," Harold Potter called from behind a newspaper.  
  
"Morning, dad, mum," Harry said breathlessly and sat down on a chair and started gulping down his breakfast.  
  
"Really, Harry, eat slowly," Lily Potter scolded, her hands on her hips. "I rather you not spend your first day in the hospital. After all, I'm sure you're excited to see a certain someone who went to, what country was it again Harold?"  
  
Harold lowered the newspaper and he grinned at his son. "France."  
  
"Right," Lily smiled to her son.  
  
Harry choked on his orange juice and wiped his mouth. He glared at his parents hating them for knowing how much he missed seeing her. They had somehow gotten the truth out of him and Harry was stupid enough to tell them both about his little crush.  
  
"Time to go to school," his mum called in a singsong voice. She patted Harry on the shoulder, gave him an affectionate kiss. "Go on, Harold, you'd be late for work," she added to her husband as she gave him a kiss too.  
  
"Bye mum, dad," Harry said, getting up from the table and practically running out the house. He got in his temporary car (because it was his mum's but she allowed him to use it) and drove off to his school.  
  
He grinned as he met up with his two best friends, Dean Thomas and Hermione Granger. They were both sitting at the step to Stone Wall High Public School, waiting for him. Upon seeing him, they both waved.  
  
"Hiya, Harry," Dean Thomas called. "What do you think, eh? Last year of high school."  
  
"It'll be great," Harry said in reply. "I'm glad to say I enjoyed all of my high school years, now that Dudley's off to that school Smeltings."  
  
Hermione shook her head. "I still can't believe Dudley did all that to you," she murmured fondly. Harry had told them about everything Dudley used to do him before high school, when they were still in grade school.  
  
Dean Thomas laughed. "Well, he won't be able to do that anymore, cause he's all big and fat, and can't move," he said in between laughs.  
  
"Yeah," Harry nodded, "Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon still can't believe it though. Their own son, as big as whales now," he added.  
  
"Harry!" Hermione reprimanded shaking her head.  
  
"What?" Harry cried. "I didn't say anything wrong. Anyway, Dudley's not doing so well in Smeltings and both my aunt and uncle keep on saying Dudley's just a slow learner. And they hate it more when mum goes to see them and shows my report card and all."  
  
"If I didn't know any better," Hermione began smiling. "I'd say they were just jealous."  
  
"It's too bad me and Hermione didn't get a chance to meet him in person," Dean Thomas added shaking his head in disappointment. "I would love to see how big he is."  
  
"Very big," Harry said. He looked at Hermione. "How was France?"  
  
Dean Thomas let out a deep breath. "Oh don't get her started on that, Harry. She's been talking non-stop about France ever since I got here. All those places I can't even pronounce," he said bitterly.  
  
"Well I tried to teach you, it's not at all that hard," Hermione retorted. "The best place of all would be the Arc de Triomphe or the Êtoile, which means the star. I mean, you never really understand the meaning of it, why it's called that unless you go up on top of it and you'll see that the arc is in the middle of twelve avenues, stretching out like a star."  
  
"As far as I'm concerned, Hermione, au revoir!" Dean Thomas exclaimed and he stood up. "I'll see you later at lunch, all right? I need to find Mona." Mona was Dean Thomas's girlfriend of one year.  
  
"See you," Harry called as Dean Thomas disappeared with the crowd.  
  
"And the Eiffel Tower!" Hermione gushed. "It was wonderful there, especially at night, and well it's not all fun when your with parents. They started talking mush, and well, I felt so out of place and I sort of hoped that, um, well-" she paused and blushed deeply.  
  
"That you were with your boyfriend," Harry murmured softly.  
  
Hermione blushed. "Well, not exactly. I mean, I don't have a boyfriend. But it would've have been fun if you were there, and Dean, of course, after all you're my two best friends."  
  
"We could go this weekend," Harry suggested. For a moment there, his heart skipped a little faster when she said that it would've been fun if he was-  
  
"To Paris, you mean?" Hermione interrupted his thoughts. "That would be nice. Ooh, Harry, we'll take the train. And we'll be there, and we'll spend the entire day sightseeing. We could invite Mona."  
  
Harry grinned. " Right. But I'm thinking she and Dean would want to slip away, and, er, go somewhere else," he explained giving her a meaningful look.  
  
"Harry, you wicked!" Hermione exclaimed pushing him lightly on the shoulder.  
  
"Hermione!" Harry exclaimed in the same tone. "If I didn't know better, I'd say that's where he is right now, with Mona, doing Lord knows what!"  
  
They were still laughing together as they headed to class.  
  
¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤  
  
Well, what do you think?! Review please! dREAmgirL [Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix]!!! Waaaaaah!!! 


	3. At Kings Cross Station

The Choice Within A Dream (Le Choix Dans Un Rêve)  
  
Complete Summary: The muggles in the Harry Potter series did not receive their letters from Hogwarts because a very strict Headmaster, who does not accept muggles, runs the school. So Harry, Hermione and Dean Thomas don't know anything about magic or anything that is associated with it (including Ron). It's like Hogwarts never happened.  
Harry lives a normal life, with both his parents and his two best friends, Hermione and Dean. But in a dream, Harry finds himself in a magical world where there is a boy named Ron, where he is famous for a lightning bolt scar but, a world wherein his parents are dead.  
In the end, Harry Potter has to choose between living the life of a muggle, or living in the world of magic.  
  
*Note* I'm putting French translations, because I want to. Hehehe. Hope you like this story, and if you're confused, or you hate it, or you like it =) .then just review and say so. Enjoy!  
  
Chapter 2 - At Kings Cross Station (Aux Rois Cross Station)  
  
"Oh hurry up, will you," Hermione hissed. "We'll miss the train."  
  
"That's easy for her to say, she's not carrying all these things," Dean wheezed and he dropped the luggage he was carrying. "What does Hermione got in these things? Bricks?" he asked annoyed as he rubbed his sore muscles.  
  
Harry followed suit. "I don't know," he mumbled. It wasn't really heavy considering he'd been lifting weights all summer.  
  
"Harry, Dean," Hermione's voice wafted towards them. "Where are you?"  
  
Dean grunted and he carried the bags again and started towards Platform Ten. Hermione had their trip to Paris all planned out, including which places to see first. She had a complete itinerary, which she gave a copy to the parents of each of them.  
  
They reached Hermione and she started rummaging through her bag for their tickets. "I swear it's here somewhere," she mumbled.  
  
Harry looked around at the station. He saw a family of flaming red hair, and he was intensely interested. "Dean, look, it's the red hair family," he pointed out.  
  
Dean turned to look. "I say, look at that!"  
  
The family consisted of what looked like a worried mother ("You can't miss the train!" she had said.), a rushed father ("All right, all right, calm down Molly," he soothed.), an annoyed son who was taller than both his parents ("Mum, really!") and a daughter who looked calm and collected.  
  
"All right, Ginny," the woman said.  
  
The boy shook his head furiously. "I'll go first," he said frowning. He shook his head and pushed his trolley towards the wall between platform nine and ten. Harry was surprised to see there was an owl.  
  
"Why do they have an owl?" Hermione asked suddenly. She had stopped looking for their tickets and was watching the red-haired family, curious.  
  
"I'll go first!" Ginny said shrilly. Harry noticed she didn't look as calm and collected as she did seconds before. Without waiting for an answer, she pushed her trolley and running, she disappeared through the wall.  
  
Dean, Harry and Hermione all gasped.  
  
"What was that?" Dean exclaimed clearly surprised. "How did she do that?"  
  
"A magic trick?" Hermione queried, her brown eyebrows raised.  
  
Harry shook his head. He couldn't believe it for the girl had simply vanished. He narrowed his eyes at the brick wall. "I think that brick's wall completely solid."  
  
And then-  
  
"Mum, those muggles saw us!" the red-haired boy cried out.  
  
"Muggles?" Harry and Hermione echoed.  
  
"Oh, Arthur, what are we to do?" the woman asked, worried.  
  
The man said something to both his wife and his son ("You go on, I'll take care of it" "But dad, what're you gonna do?" "Just go!"). The next minute, they too had gone through the barrier. Hermione had nearly let out a scream. "But that's impossible!"  
  
The man now walked towards. He smiled and said, "I'm terribly sorry for this but well, I have to," he paused and brought out a stick. He gripped it tightly and said in a commanding voice, "Obliviate!"  
  
And then he was gone.  
  
Harry, Hermione and Dean blinked. Hermione frowned slightly, and continued rummaging through her things for their ticket.  
  
"Where are we going?" Dean asked gazing at the bags his was carrying.  
  
"Uh, I think," Harry began pausing.  
  
Hermione pulled out a ticket. "Here it is," she mumbled triumphantly. "Paris. We're going to Paris."  
  
"Right," Dean nodded slowly, his eyebrows furrowed.  
  
"Weird," Harry mumbled.  
  
"What is?" Dean asked massaging his muscles.  
  
Harry looked at both of them, his brow furrowed. "I can't remember what happened just now. I mean, I remember being dropped off by our parents right here at the station but I can't remember what," he paused. "It's like there this big gap between."  
  
Hermione nodded. "I know what you mean."  
  
"Well," Dean began. "I know what you mean too, Harry but well," he glanced behind him, "There's really isn't much to remember. I think we just walked from the time our parents dropped us off to where we are now. Right?"  
  
"I guess," Hermione said nodding.  
  
Harry looked unconvinced. He knew something was wrong. In the back of his head, he knew something had happened. But what was it?  
  
¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤  
  
Well, what do you think?! Review please! dREAmgirL [Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix]!!! Waaaaaah!!! 


	4. The Mysteries of Love

The Choice Within A Dream (Le Choix Dans Un Rêve)  
  
Complete Summary: The muggles in the Harry Potter series did not receive their letters from Hogwarts because a very strict Headmaster, who does not accept muggles, runs the school. So Harry, Hermione and Dean Thomas don't know anything about magic or anything that is associated with it (including Ron). It's like Hogwarts never happened.  
Harry lives a normal life, with both his parents and his two best friends, Hermione and Dean. But in a dream, Harry finds himself in a magical world where there is a boy named Ron, where he is famous for a lightning bolt scar but, a world wherein his parents are dead.  
In the end, Harry Potter has to choose between living the life of a muggle, or living in the world of magic.  
  
*Note* I'm putting French translations, because I want to. Hehehe. Hope you like this story, and if you're confused, or you hate it, or you like it =) .then just review and say so. Sorry if I made a mistake about the train trip to Paris, if it only takes minutes[because I've written here that it takes hours, does it?].because I've never been to Europe so I don't know what to write, but I'm still writing anyway. Hehe. =) Hope it's okay.  
  
+read, enjoy, review+  
  
Chapter 3 - The Mysteries of Love (Les mystères de l'amour)  
  
Harry watched the houses go by in a blur. The train was picking up speed, and he knew they'd be in Paris in a few hours. Once, during the trip, he thought he saw a scarlet-steamed engine somewhere moving along the mountains, but it was gone in an instant. And he realized he must've been tired that he was seeing things, and in a matter of seconds, he fell asleep.  
  
When Harry woke up, he felt someone's head on his shoulder. He didn't have to take a look that it was, as he could recognize that smell anywhere. Like roses in full bloom. He sat there, staring out the window. He wondered if he had a chance with her.  
  
"What are you thinking?"  
  
Harry turned his head around that he came face-to-face with Hermione. And their faces were so close together that Harry's heart began to beat faster. He smiled weakly at her, and replied, "Just about things."  
  
Hermione straightened, and Harry felt as though something was missing. Having her near him made his heart beat faster but having her far from him made his heart.feel sad. She smiled at Harry in a way he thought seductive, "What kind of things, Harry? You were never secretive to me."  
  
"I'm not," Harry argued, running a hand through his hair to at least show that he wasn't getting nervous. He was calm, he told himself. But when he saw the way she looked at him, all thoughts of being calm fled from his mind. "Uh, er, that is, well-uh, what I mean is-er,"  
  
Hermione giggled. "I've never heard you stammer like that before."  
  
Harry fought the urge to blush. He shrugged lightly, and mumbled, as though to himself, "Well, the sight of you is enough to make me stammer like that."  
  
"The sight of who?" Hermione asked, raising her eyebrows. "What did you say?"  
  
"Nothing, just mumbling," Harry replied hastily, shaking his head. He didn't want to look her in the eyes because he knew that Hermione would read right through him. It was true what they say that the eyes are the windows of the soul.  
  
Hermione sighed, conceding. "You're becoming very secretive, Mr. Harry Potter. All that about thinking about things and just mumbling," she said playing with her hair. "I wonder what's on your mind these days," she added quietly.  
  
Harry laughed, maybe too loudly. "I don't think that would be a good thing, Hermione. Otherwise you'd find out something about me and I'd have to kill you," he said in a joking tone. He sure didn't want Hermione to know what was on his mind!  
  
"I wonder if there's a sort of truth spell out there," Hermione began, with a faraway look, but then she looked intently at Harry, "You know, I could say the spell and have you reveal most of your deepest darkest secrets."  
  
Harry swallowed, hard.  
  
Just then, the compartment door slid open and Dean and Mona walked in. They were both grinning and Harry didn't have to fathom why they were both grinning and that Dean's clothes were slightly rumpled.  
  
Slightly.  
  
And Harry noticed there was a lipstick mark on his neck, and he had to resist the urge to point it out to Dean, and tease him to death about. Mona must have noticed the lipstick mark because she nonchalantly reached out to Dean and rubbed it off.  
  
"We'll be there soon," Dean announced.  
  
"That's nice," Hermione said, nodding her head absent-mindedly.  
  
Harry wondered if she was thinking about what she had said before, about wanting to know his deepest darkest secrets. Did he have any? Besides having this crush on Hermione, did he have any other deep dark secrets? He didn't think so.  
  
The rest of the way, they were talking about their plans for when they get to Paris, and also their plans for their senior year.  
  
"What about you, Hermione? Aren't you planning on dating someone this year?" Mona asked, casually. She was sitting beside Dean holding and playing with his hand.  
  
Harry looked expectantly at Hermione who blushed, and stammered a "No."  
  
"And why not?" Mona asked, indignantly. "A girl like you should be going out, and especially on our last year of high school," she added, and she looked at Harry pointedly.  
  
Harry decided to ignore them.  
  
"Well I don't know," Hermione murmured quietly. She sighed deeply and said, "I guess I'll just see what happens next."  
  
The train pulled up at the station and the passengers disembarked from the train. The four of them retrieved their luggage and headed to the hotel to rest some, and then go out later on. Harry tried not to think what the sleeping arrangements would be, since they had only booked two rooms. And had a nasty suspicion Dean and Mona would want to be in the same room.  
  
"And on the same bed," he muttered to himself.  
  
"What?" Hermione asked, looking at Harry strangely.  
  
Harry didn't even have time to control his blush. His face just turned red, and he felt so stupid that Hermione heard what he had said. "Er," he began thinking of what to say. Hermione was probably wondering what he meant about 'on the same bed'.  
  
He bent down closer to her and whispered, "I was thinking about Dean and Mona."  
  
Hermione looked up at him, and wrinkled her nose. "That they'd want to be on the same bed?" she guessed, her voice low.  
  
Harry nodded, and Hermione rolled her eyes. "So what else is new?"  
  
Sure enough, when they reached the hotel, Dean and Mona headed to one room, leaving Harry and Hermione snickering. They both headed to their room. Harry expected it but he didn't think it would actually happen. That it would be real.  
  
"I'll sleep on the floor, or on the couch," Harry insisted.  
  
"But, Harry," Hermione argued looking at the bed then back at Harry. "It's a king-sized bed, I'm sure we'll fit," she explained earnestly.  
  
It must've been the way she was looking at him, or it could've been her voice because Harry forgot what he was thinking. He stared blankly at her, and opening his mouth, was able to say, "Huh?"  
  
Hermione giggled, lightly hitting him on the shoulder. "Oh Harry, you're so cute when you look confused," she said smiling at him. "And when you're so mysterious."  
  
Harry recovered. He looked down at her, his eyes staring down at her intently that Hermione's smile wavered. And he replied, seriously, "Then maybe I should look confused and mysterious more often than not."  
  
It was Hermione's turn to blush. 


	5. Travels around Love

The Choice Within A Dream (Le Choix Dans Un Rêve)  
  
Complete Summary: The muggles in the Harry Potter series did not receive their letters from Hogwarts because a very strict Headmaster, who does not accept muggles, runs the school. So Harry, Hermione and Dean Thomas don't know anything about magic or anything that is associated with it (including Ron). It's like Hogwarts never happened.  
Harry lives a normal life, with both his parents and his two best friends, Hermione and Dean. But in a dream, Harry finds himself in a magical world where there is a boy named Ron, where he is famous for a lightning bolt scar but, a world wherein his parents are dead.  
In the end, Harry Potter has to choose between living the life of a muggle, or living in the world of magic.  
  
*Note* I'm putting French translations, because I want to. Hehehe. Hope you like this story, and if you're confused, or you hate it, or you like it =) .then just review and say so. Oh, and I apologize for this chapter. I've never been to Paris before! I've never even been to any part of Europe, and why am I writing stories about people who travel around Europe? Well, I'm just so into French! And Paris, too! But basically, I'm into Europe.anyway, back to the story, if you have any, er, comments feel free to say so. I'll do my best with bringing Paris to life. [uh-oh] Though I concentrated more on the characters, rather than their surroundings.  
  
+read, enjoy, review+  
  
Chapter 4 - Travels Around Love (Voyages autour de l'amour)  
  
Harry couldn't stop watching her.  
  
Hermione was walking ahead of him, with Mona, as she pointed out places. Harry had expected Mona to not be interested and was surprised to see that Mona was actually interested to know more about Paris, much to Dean's annoyance.  
  
As for Harry, he envied the position Mona was in. Hermione had her arm linked through Mona's and she was chatting animatedly about this boutique somewhere around Paris that sold the best clothes.  
  
"No wonder Mona's so interested," Dean suddenly grunted. "They're talking about clothes," he exclaimed exasperated. "What is with women and clothes?"  
  
"I don't know, Dean," Harry replied honestly taking his eyes off Hermione to look at Dean and he explained, "I'm not the world's expert on women." Then his eyes zoomed back to where Hermione was.  
  
Dean snorted. "Obviously."  
  
Harry frowned at Dean. "What's that supposed to mean?"  
  
Dean held up his hands, and he grinned at Harry. "Look, man, if you don't know then I'm not telling you. You know what they say, it's for me to know and you to find out," he said, his grin wider if that was possible.  
  
Harry didn't say anything. He had an idea what Dean meant. But he wasn't sure if he could do it. He wondered if he should go ahead and tell Hermione how he felt. What if she didn't feel the same way?  
  
Rejection, he thought.  
  
The worst thing in the world that Harry had to face when he would tell Hermione how he felt and when she'd laugh at him, and say she only thought of him as a friend. That was it. Just friends. Never more than that.  
  
"Harry," Dean called. "Come on!"  
  
Harry not realizing he was being left behind caught up with them. Hermione was saying something about this type of French food that was simply delicious.  
  
"I hope it tastes better than it sounds," Dean kidded.  
  
Hermione gave him a reproving look. "Oh, it does," she persisted, and then she launched on a series of other foods that turned her frown into a smile.  
  
Dean leaned in closer to Harry, and whispered, "Now I know what to do when Hermione starts looking angry, talk something about France!"  
  
Harry chuckled quietly. However, Hermione heard it and she turned around to see what was amusing. Their eyes met, and they both smiled at each other. They didn't notice the mischievous look that Dean and Mona gave each other.  
  
Hermione looked away at the sound of a motorcycle honking. And Harry snapped out of his stupor. He decided he had to tell her. He'd done too much and too many wonderings and dreaming about her. Hermione might start to think he was obsessed with or stalking her.  
  
No exactly what you want your crush to think.  
  
"Ooh, there it is," Mona gasped.  
  
Harry looked up and he saw towering over them, the Eiffel Tower. Harry had been to Paris once, about ten years ago, when his parents were vacationing. He could just imagine his parents staring longingly at each other while eight-year-old Harry was running around, playing with toy trucks and paper airplanes.  
  
"Come on," Hermione called as she crossed the street.  
  
Harry was enthralled with how she walked, with so much grace and confidence. Mona and Hermione were launched in a conversation, and Harry noticed how her eyes lit up when she smiled. His crush was getting deeper, than just a crush.  
  
"Hey, who's this you're talking about?" Dean suddenly cried out.  
  
Mona giggled. "No one, Dean. Don't be jealous."  
  
Dean scowled at Mona's hair as they kept walking. When Mona didn't pursue the subject, he threw up his hands in surrender. He glanced over at Harry, as if expecting him to do something.  
  
Harry frowned, and asked irritated, "What now?"  
  
"Never mind, Harry," Dean growled annoyed with him too. "Sometimes when it comes to women, you are way to dense, forget sometimes, it's more like all the time." He rushed past him, hands in his pockets.  
  
"Hey, I resent that, Thomas," Harry called huffily. He wasn't dense. He was just.afraid of rejection. A small voice in his head asked, what have you got to loose?  
  
"My friendship with a great girl," Harry muttered. He followed the rest of them up the tower where Mona was wrapped up in Dean's arms and they were both whispering to each other. Hermione had edged closer to Harry, her eyes faraway. "What are you thinking?" he whispered, leaning closer to her.  
  
Hermione slightly jumped, and her eyes turned to him.  
  
Again, Harry felt his heart skip a beat. Her eyes were such beautiful brown. Exotic. He forced his breathing to calm down, as her face was so much close to his.  
  
"Just about things," Hermione replied, a corner of her lip going up, and teasing glint was in her eyes.  
  
Harry grinned down at her. "Where have I heard that before?"  
  
Hermione narrowed her eyes, and wrinkled her nose as though deep in thought. Then she looked up at Harry, and answered for him, "In a train ride to Paris where this handsome young man was talking to a girl."  
  
Harry's heart skipped another beat. So, she thought he was handsomeJust about things," Hermione replied, a corner of her lip going up, and teasing glint was in her eyes.  
  
Harry grinned down at her. "Where have I heard that before?"  
  
Hermione narrowed her eyes, and wrinkled her nose as though deep in thought. Then she looked up at Harry, and answered for him, "In a train ride to Paris where this handsome young man was talking to a girl."  
  
Harry's heart skipped another beat. So, she thought he was handsome!  
  
"A beautiful kind lady," Harry supplied smiling.  
  
Hermione looked up at him. She smiled a slow easy smile. Her hand sought blindly for his, and when she found his hand, she ever so gently touched his fingers in a caress. "Do you really think I'm beautiful?" she asked shyly in a whisper.  
  
"More than that, Hermione," Harry whispered back. "More than beautiful."  
  
Hermione sighed that Harry felt her breath on his neck. He didn't move, neither did she.  
  
They stood there, looking adoringly at each other, atop the Eiffel Tower. In the distance the sun was setting, casting vibrant shades across the sky. And to an artist, they were a picturesque sight of two people falling slowly and deeply in love. 


	6. At the Top of the Tower

The Choice Within A Dream (Le Choix Dans Un Rêve)  
  
Complete Summary: The muggles in the Harry Potter series did not receive their letters from Hogwarts because a very strict Headmaster, who does not accept muggles, runs the school. So Harry, Hermione and Dean Thomas don't know anything about magic or anything that is associated with it (including Ron). It's like Hogwarts never happened.  
Harry lives a normal life, with both his parents and his two best friends, Hermione and Dean. But in a dream, Harry finds himself in a magical world where there is a boy named Ron, where he is famous for a lightning bolt scar but, a world wherein his parents are dead.  
In the end, Harry Potter has to choose between living the life of a muggle, or living in the world of magic.  
  
*Note* I'm putting French translations, because I want to. Hehehe. Hope you like this story, and if you're confused, or you hate it, or you like it =) .then just review and say so. Oh, and I apologize for this chapter. I've never been to Paris before! I've never even been to any part of Europe, and why am I writing stories about people who travel around Europe? Well, I'm just so into French! And Paris, too! But basically, I'm into Europe.anyway, back to the story, if you have any, er, comments feel free to say so. I'll do my best with bringing Paris to life. [uh-oh] And I'm not sure what color the eyes of Hermione are, but I put in here that they're brown. =)  
  
+read, enjoy, review+  
  
Chapter 5 - At the Top of the Tower (Au dessus de la tour)  
  
Harry's heart was beating steadily now, like this was the most natural thing in the world. He felt himself being slowly drawn to her. And his face inches closer to hers. "Hermione." Her name escaped his lips in a whisper.  
  
Closer,  
  
Closer,  
  
Their eyes shut close, and Harry felt her lips touching his. Just the barest of touches, but Harry wanted more. He reached for her, holding her on her hips and pulling her closer to him, and Hermione seeking more wrapped her arms around his neck.  
  
Harry could feel his heart soaring.  
  
The kiss was so gentle, his heart ached. It yielded to more, but at the same time, was undemanding. Harry heard Hermione sigh through the kiss, her fingers against the skin at the base of his neck, and Harry felt his entire body shiver.  
  
They broke off the kiss, at the same time, breathing heavily. They stared at each other, and Harry saw Hermione's were glazed with passion, just like how he felt for her. She smiled at him, stroking his cheek. "Harry," she whispered.  
  
Harry was at a loss for words. What was he going to say now?  
  
The truth, a voice in his head answered.  
  
Harry touched his forehead with Hermione's and breathed deeply her scent, his eyes closed. When he opened his eyes, she was smiling at him, in such a serene way. He opened his mouth, willing the words to come out.  
  
"I'vehadacrushonyouforso long," Harry mumbled the words tumbling out.  
  
Hermione giggled lightly. She raised her eyebrows at him. "What's long?"  
  
Harry's face flushed, and he chastised himself for sounding so stupid. He took a deep breath and said, slowly this time, "I've had a crush on you, for so long."  
  
Hermione smiled wider. "I know," she whispered to him.  
  
"You do?" Harry's voice asked in a squeak.  
  
"Just now," she replied teasingly. "You told me."  
  
Harry gave her a withering look, but was immediately followed by a grin. She didn't laugh at him, but did that mean that she wasn't rejecting him?  
  
As if reading his mind, she added, "I've felt the same way too. I just didn't how to tell you and I had no idea how you felt. For all I knew, you were in love with someone and I didn't want to be left heartbroken." She gave him a weak smile.  
  
"Oh Hermione," Harry murmured, caressing her cheek with his thumb. He bent closer and kissed her lightly on her nose, and he smiled. "I'm falling in love," he murmured huskily, "With you." And he kissed her on the lips.  
  
Hermione kissed him back so passionately.  
  
When they broke apart, she smiled widely at him. "I'm in love with you, Harry."  
  
The sun had gone behind the horizon, the sky was suddenly blanketed with darkness. And just as the heavens went dark, the stars came out twinkling and shining bright.  
  
Harry realized the Mona and Dean were gone. "Where are they?"  
  
Hermione gave a slight chuckle and rolled her eyes. "Where else, Harry?"  
  
Harry looked back at her, and he wiggled his eyebrows. "I don't know, Hermione, where exactly are they?" he asked teasingly.  
  
Hermione lightly hit him on the chest, and replied, "Well, if you don't know then I'm not telling." She laughed.  
  
"All right, well, let's go and explore the city of love," Harry said leaning in closer to her.  
  
Together, hand in hand, they disappeared into the night, a two people deeply in love. 


	7. When the Dreams Begin

The Choice Within A Dream (Le Choix Dans Un Rêve)  
  
Complete Summary: The muggles in the Harry Potter series did not receive their letters from Hogwarts because a very strict Headmaster, who does not accept muggles, runs the school. So Harry, Hermione and Dean Thomas don't know anything about magic or anything that is associated with it (including Ron). It's like Hogwarts never happened.  
Harry lives a normal life, with both his parents and his two best friends, Hermione and Dean. But in a dream, Harry finds himself in a magical world where there is a boy named Ron, where he is famous for a lightning bolt scar but, a world wherein his parents are dead.  
In the end, Harry Potter has to choose between living the life of a muggle, or living in the world of magic.  
  
*Note* I'm putting French translations, because I want to. Hehehe. Hope you like this story, and if you're confused, or you hate it, or you like it =) .then just review and say so. This part might get confusing.Sorry if this looks rushed. I just did this in less than an hour [the two chapters actually] and I'm a bit lazy to edit it, so forgive the mistakes! =) Thanks y'all.  
  
+read, enjoy, review+  
  
Chapter 7 - When the Dreams Begin (Quand les rêves commencent)  
  
"Oy, Harry! Wake up!"  
  
Harry's eyes flew open, and his eyes adjusted to the dim light flooding the room. He bolted upright when he saw that he was sleeping in a canopy bed with scarlet hangings. He was in a circular room, with four other beds.  
  
The red-haired boy from the station was putting something on.  
  
"Is that a robe?" Harry asked, incredulous. "Is that a wand?!"  
  
The red-haired boy frowned at him. "Now's not the time to be acting stupid, Harry," he said his tone scolding. "We have to get to class, remember?"  
  
And just as Harry wondered who the red-haired boy was, he remembered he was Ron. Ronald Weasley. And that they had to go to their class, Transfiguration, where they would be learning more about apparating.  
  
Harry shook his head, and he remembered exactly where he was. Hogwarts. He quickly changed into his school uniform and followed the others outside the dorm. As he was descending the stairs to the common room, he fell in step with Dean.  
  
"Dean, do you know a girl named Mona?" he asked.  
  
Dean looked at Harry questioningly. "Mona Lisa?"  
  
Harry shook his head. "Mona Ehrlich." When Dean shook his head, Harry wondered if he was bluffing or telling the truth. What was going on? It was confusing to Harry. He remembered living the life of a muggle (the word just popped in his head) and yet here he was living the life of a wizard.  
  
When he spotted Hermione sitting on a chair by the fire, his face lit up. He called to her, and she looked up, smiling at him too.  
  
Finally, he thought to himself, someone who could explain what was going on.  
  
But the smile on his face vanished when he saw Hermione stand up, and walked over to Ron, giving a quick kiss. The others made gagging sounds, and Harry's heart plummeted to the floor. This had to be a bad dream! A red- haired boy was stealing away the love of his life!  
  
Then just as the realization hit him that he and Hermione never got together in this life, another realization hit him. His parents were dead, and he was famous for a scar. Harry's hand flew to his forehead feeling the scar. But he couldn't see it.  
  
Harry was getting more confused by the second. This all seemed real, but the other life was real too. And his parents were alive there, and Hermione loved him.  
  
"Harry, are you alright?" It was Hermione who asked the question, worry etched all over her face. She walked towards him and placed a hand on his forehead. "You look pale. I hope it's not him."  
  
"Him," Harry echoed. Voldemort.  
  
"Harry," Ron began frowning at Harry. "You do look like you're sick. And what did you mean this morning by asking me if I was putting on a robe, and about my wand. You've known about that for years now."  
  
"And he asked me if I knew someone named Mona," Dean added.  
  
Harry blinked. Seamus and Neville (their names came to him all of a sudden) were both looking at him, just like the others. "I'm okay," he mumbled. "Just a little tired, I guess."  
  
"And no wonder!" Hermione exclaimed. "What with Quidditch and studying, and doing all those sorts of things for the Ministry, and Dumbledore talking to you all the time! And those Occlumency lessons with Snape!"  
  
Harry stared at her, confused. He didn't understand what she had just said, but then in a second, he understood. Harry was feeling like a rope being tugged on opposite directions. He was seriously getting the more confused. What were these two worlds he was living in?  
  
"Why don't you go visit Madame Pomfrey?" Hermione suggested, taking his by the arm.  
  
Harry didn't want to ask who Madame Pomfray was, because the answer almost came to him seconds later. Then slowly, he remembered the events that had happened in the past. In the past of this world.  
  
He shook his head, and stared at Hermione, who was still holding him by his arm. Ron followed behind while the others went on ahead. Harry saw the portrait swing on its hinges and they walked through. The others went down to eat breakfast, and Harry insisted that Hermione and Ron head down to eat breakfast too.  
  
"Nonsense," Hermione said. "I'm worried about you, and I'm taking you to the hospital wing. That's that," she argued firmly.  
  
"Do you think you have short-term memory loss, Harry? Because of the fall yesterday?" Ron asked squinting at Harry. "That was pretty bad fall."  
  
"I fell?" Harry asked back, raising his eyebrows. Then he remembered. They were practicing Quidditch against Slytherin when two bludgers hit him from both sides. "Oh right," he mumbled quietly, as if to himself.  
  
"Ron, why don't you go down to breakfast," Hermione insisted. "I know you're hungry."  
  
"And Harry isn't?" Ron countered.  
  
"Not really," Harry answered truthfully. He was far from hungry. In fact, he felt sick to his stomach. This was a weird twisted dream, but the longer he stayed here, the more the other life seemed to be a dream. Did that just make sense?  
  
He had no idea if his parents were really alive or dead. But, he told himself, they are alive. They were just teasing about getting together with.he paused. He glanced sideways at Hermione, and saw that she was looking curiously at him. Ron was long gone.  
  
"Harry, you look so troubled," she observed.  
  
No kidding, Harry thought.  
  
"Confused too," she added. "What's wrong?"  
  
Harry gulped hard. He remembered now that in the other life, Hermione liked the way he looked when he was confused. Did she like it now?  
  
"Harry?" Hermione prodded, gazing up at him. "Are you all right?"  
  
Harry looked down at her. He was drowning again in those eyes of hers. He blinked and mumbled, "I'm not sure."  
  
And the world around him dissolved. And then-  
  
"Harry, darling, you'll be late for school!"  
  
That was his mother calling. Harry glanced around his room. Not circular, no other bed, definitely no canopies or purple hangings. What did that mean?  
  
It was all a dream. 


	8. Worries from the Dream

The Choice Within A Dream (Le Choix Dans Un Rêve)  
  
Complete Summary: The muggles in the Harry Potter series did not receive their letters from Hogwarts because a very strict Headmaster, who does not accept muggles, runs the school. So Harry, Hermione and Dean Thomas don't know anything about magic or anything that is associated with it (including Ron). It's like Hogwarts never happened.  
Harry lives a normal life, with both his parents and his two best friends, Hermione and Dean. But in a dream, Harry finds himself in a magical world where there is a boy named Ron, where he is famous for a lightning bolt scar but, a world wherein his parents are dead.  
In the end, Harry Potter has to choose between living the life of a muggle, or living in the world of magic.  
  
*Note* I'm putting French translations, because I want to. Hehehe. By the way, some of the translations aren't as.exact as they are when translated. But still, hope you like this story, and if you're confused, or you hate it, or you like it =) .then just review and say so. Haha, okay, so much for updating fast. I got lazy during the week, so here it is. And I just decided now to make Harry a jock. I should've written something about it before, but it's not really all that important for the whole story so I didn't include it. But it will be, for this chapter. So now, Harry's a jock.  
  
+read, enjoy, review+  
  
Chapter 8 - Worries from the Dream (S'inquiète du rêve)  
  
Harry had no idea how he got to school. He refused his mother's car today, because he felt he had too much on his mind to even think about driving. He'd probably end up hitting another car or a telephone booth.  
  
He was walking, with his hands in his pockets, wondering what the dream meant when someone called his name.  
  
"Harry Potter!"  
  
Harry turned and saw the Creevey brothers running towards him. He inwardly sighed as he slowed his walk, and waited for them to catch up. Colin Creevey, the older of the two, was a junior and he was the photojournalist for the school paper. As for Dennis, the younger of the two, who was a sophomore, he was some kind of writer for the school paper.  
  
"Hey," Harry greeted as they approached.  
  
Both brothers grinned. "Aren't you starting with practice yet, Harry?" Colin asked, and Harry saw the camera slung around his neck.  
  
"Not until next week, I think," Harry answered, dreading the next question.  
  
"Are you going to be team captain this year, Harry?" Dennis asked excitedly.  
  
Harry felt like he was having a press conference. He was sure Colin was going to take pictures any second now. But, luckily, he didn't. "Er, yeah," he replied quietly. He was surprised when Coach Peters told him that news.  
  
"Wow!" the brothers chorused. "Cool, Harry," Colin added.  
  
"I'll be covering your games," Dennis cried out earnestly. He nodded to himself. "I'll ask my editor about it, and Mr. Newman if I can. Oh, I'm just so sure he'll agree, Colin. Imagine that, me covering Harry's game. Star-player for so long!"  
  
"Course Mr. Newman will agree, Den," Colin said, his tone sure. Then his face broke out in another toothy grin. "Four years, Harry! I know for certain that you were the only freshman in the varsity team. You were that good!"  
  
Harry grinned, when he recalled how he had tried out for the team. It was there that he met Dean, while trying-out for the team. And as for Hermione, well, they didn't immediately become friends. Harry had classes with her and was annoyed every time she raised her hand to answer a question in the exact same way the teacher expected an answer.  
  
But she did something that changed Harry's mind about her.  
  
"She helped us with the mountain troll," Harry though to himself. And just as Harry thought about it, he blinked in surprise. Where did that come from? A mountain troll?  
  
What Hermione did during the first year was help him with his studies. It was the middle of the year and Harry was failing miserably in Algebra and he had to pull his grades up otherwise he'd get kicked out of the team. His teacher than suggested Hermione tutor him and after Harry refused a million times (in his head) he had Hermione tutoring him three times a week.  
  
That's when they got to know each other better, and as Harry's grades went up, so did their friendship. It got better. And Harry remained on the team, got his grades up and also made a new best friend. It was a wonder. His best friend was now his.girlfriend?  
  
But, what about the troll? Where did that come from?  
  
Just as Harry asked that question in his mind, the answer came to him almost immediately. The mountain troll was from the other world. The world where there was magic in it, the one with the red-haired boy named Ron.  
  
"Harry?" Colin interrupted his thoughts.  
  
Harry blinked. "Er, what?"  
  
"Where you just talking about a troll?" Dennis asked.  
  
"Er," Harry began feeling foolish. "It's for a story for my English lit class," he explained. "I have to write a story, and well, I just thought about this world where there was magic in it, and all that." he let the sentence hang.  
  
"Phoo-ey!" Colin exclaimed, grinning. "That's a nice story, Harry!"  
  
"You could have it printed in the school paper," Dennis suggested.  
  
Harry shook his head, chuckling softly. "No, thanks, Dennis."  
  
They had reached the school, and Harry saw everyone walking inside. He searched the crowd for Dean, or Hermione. And then he saw her.  
  
She waved at him, smiling brightly.  
  
Harry waved back at her, feeling so good now that he saw her. "See you," he mumbled to the Creeveys as he walked towards her. Then he stopped a foot away from her, grinning. "Hey," he murmured, feeling embarrassed.  
  
"Harry," Hermione greeted, consciously tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.  
  
Harry was well aware that people were watching them now. He grinned at her, as he bent down and kissed her full on the lips. It wasn't a long kiss, but it was still a kiss. And when he leaned back, Hermione looked flushed.  
  
"We're together now," Harry stated.  
  
Hermione nodded, smiling. "So I heard," she commented wryly. "Everyone's been talking about it, and I've felt everyone's stares on me all the time I was standing here alone, waiting for you."  
  
"The Creevey brothers kept me," Harry explained.  
  
Hermione pulled him to her, and she kissed him deeply. When she broke off the kiss, she murmured to him, "Don't leave me alone, Harry."  
  
All the thoughts of his dream almost vanished from his mind. Almost. He couldn't get one image out of his mind. That image where Hermione walked to Ron, instead of to him.  
  
"I'll never leave you, Hermione," Harry promised inhaling her scent. He touched his forehead with hers, staring intently in her eyes. "I love you always."  
  
"Harry, you look.sad. What's wrong?" Hermione looked up at him.  
  
Harry sighed, pulling back. "It's nothing really. Just a dream that's bothering me."  
  
"Is it about me?" Hermione asked timidly.  
  
"Kind of," Harry replied honestly. He couldn't take it anymore, though. He just had to know, and find out. He looked at her in the eyes and asked, "Do you know someone named Ronald Weasley?"  
  
Hermione looked up at him, her eyebrows bunched together. "Are you playing a trick here, Mr. Harry Potter? Because if you are, I don't find it funny, because I don't know any Ronald Weasley."  
  
Harry let out a breath. He grinned. "Well, in that case, my worries are over now."  
  
"What does Ronald Weasley have to do with your worries?" Hermione asked suspiciously. She linked her arm through Harry's and clasped her hands with him. Before, it would have bother Harry having to show so much display of affection. But now, as he saw the looks on other people's faces, he didn't mind.  
  
He looked at Hermione, his eyes serious. He thought of what he would do if he lost Hermione to his best friend, and he knew his heart would break. He loved her so much. Then in a soft whisper, he answered, "He's my only worry. I'm afraid he'll take you away from me." 


	9. The Door Opens

The Choice Within A Dream (Le Choix Dans Un Rêve)  
  
Complete Summary: The muggles in the Harry Potter series did not receive their letters from Hogwarts because a very strict Headmaster, who does not accept muggles, runs the school. So Harry, Hermione and Dean Thomas don't know anything about magic or anything that is associated with it (including Ron). It's like Hogwarts never happened.  
Harry lives a normal life, with both his parents and his two best friends, Hermione and Dean. But in a dream, Harry finds himself in a magical world where there is a boy named Ron, where he is famous for a lightning bolt scar but, a world wherein his parents are dead.  
In the end, Harry Potter has to choose between living the life of a muggle, or living in the world of magic.  
  
*Note* I'm putting French translations, because I want to. Hehehe. Hope you like this story, and if you're confused, or you hate it, or you like it =) .then just review and say so. Oh man, thank you ALL so much for the reviews!!! Keeps me going!!! Anyway, I've tried posting this last Friday but the server was always busy. Well, anyway here it is.  
  
By the way, something is wrong with either the site or my computer. Because instead of a dash, or three dots or quotation marks, what appears is this weird symbol. Anyway, I want so badly for you to read the next chapter so I'll post it anyway. And if it gets confusing, just review and tell me so, and I'll clear it up when I post the next chapter. Hopefully, the page will look better then. Thanks everyone.  
  
+read, enjoy, review+  
  
Chapter 9 The Door Opens (La Porte S'ouvre)  
  
He was soaring.  
  
Harry Potter realized that fact with a jolt of surprise, and he gripped the broom handle in front of him. His breath caught in his throat, as he peered down hundred of feet below him, where the crowds were cheering.  
  
"What the-" he mumbled, looking around.  
  
And then, the words Quidditch, snitch, quaffle and bludgers came to his head like a freight train. He was supposed to be looking for the snitch. Harry took a deep breath, and the broom plunged towards the ground.  
  
The feeling was exhilarating. He felt like his stomach was left from where he was floating before, and his nervousness at being a hundred feet in the air was slowly ebbing away. It felt like he'd been flying for years, which he realized, he had been. He had been a Quidditch player ever since his first year.  
  
"Harry!" a voice screamed.  
  
Harry had just enough to duck before a bludger went past his head. He looked behind him and saw Crabbe and Goyle bearing down on him, and with a burst of firebolt, he zoomed towards the opposite end of the pitch. He was desperately searching for the little golden ball with the wings.  
  
"..and Gryffindor leads ninety to fifty." a voice said dully.  
  
And Harry remembered the old commentator Lee Jordan, who was so more fun and lively than this one. He was scanning the field for a sign of the snitch when he heard something behind him. Turning around, he saw a blonde- haired boy, streaking across the sky towards.  
  
"No!" he cried out, and then he was flying faster than ever towards that little golden ball.  
  
"Come on!" another voice screamed near the Gryffindor goal post. "Keep scoring! Big lead for us! Go, Harry!"  
  
Harry felt his heart plummet to ground as the blonde-haired boy reached out to take the snitch, but just then, lightning broke out from the sky and the snitch was gone. The crowd below gasped, and Malfoy (Harry remembered his name now) looked furious.  
  
The next minute, droplets of water were running down their faces. Harry pushed his glasses to his eyes, scanning the vast field for the snitch. It was getting dark, and there was still no sign of the snitch.  
  
"..Slytherin is catching up though.Hundred and ten, Gryffindor to Slytherin's ninety." the commentator's voice was heard. "The rain is getting heavier."  
  
Harry remembered now also that the commentator was Colin Creevey, who had volunteered for Harry. It was odd, because he had just talked with the Creevey brothers on his way to school that day, and now.  
  
Harry directed his broom north, where the snitch was last seen. He was frantically searching for it, and stealing glances at Malfoy (just in case) that when Harry looked in front of him, there it was. The snitch was beating its wings, offering itself for Harry's taking.  
  
And Harry took it.  
  
The whistle blew, the Gryffindors cheered. "Gryffindor wins!"  
  
Harry sank back down to the ground where Gryffindors, and the rest of the team were beaming at him. He grinned, despite the rain. He was then being ushered into the common room, with everyone chatting frenziedly about the near miss they had.  
  
No one bothered getting into warmer clothes because the whole common room was being sprayed with butterbeer, courtesy of Seamus and Dean. It was a party with cakes, and pasties, and candies.  
  
Harry noticed Hermione sitting in a corner, close to the fire, watching Ron while he was talking to a bunch of first years. He walked towards her, and when he approached, she smiled up at him. Harry's heart sped up, her smile had always calmed him but now, it made his heart race.  
  
It's because I don't have her, a voice piped in his head.  
  
"Great game, Harry," Hermione said, still smiling.  
  
He grinned. "Thanks, Hermione."  
  
"Did you see Malfoy's face? Oh, he looked awful," Hermione murmured, rubbing her hands together. Her cheeks were turning rosy, and her eyes looked tired. "He's probably in the Slytherin common room, screaming at Crabbe and Goyle."  
  
Harry didn't care about Malfoy right now. He was more concerned for her. "Hermione, are you feeling all right? You look pale and tired," he remarked, his tone worried.  
  
Hermione waved her hand dismissively in the air. "Oh, Harry," she began, "Don't worry so much. I'm fine really." And she went on talking about the good timing of the lightning and the rain, that Malfoy missed the snitch.  
  
Harry narrowed his eyes. He looked directly at her, and asked suspiciously, "Did you have something to do with the lightning?"  
  
Hermione balked.  
  
"Hermione!" Harry cried out. He was feeling very indignant now, and on Slytherin's behalf too. What would've happened if Malfoy caught the snitch, instead? But what more, if the teachers found out what she had done?  
  
"No one need know," Hermione whispered softly to him, leaning closer.  
  
Harry leaned back slightly, looking in her eyes. The way she said it, in a whisper, her voice so soft, made him think it wasn't Quidditch she was talking about. Like, she was implying something. But what? Hermione, of course, had no idea that they were together in other life, in another dimension. The only love she knew was Ron, not Harry.  
  
Harry stared into her eyes, feeling his heart beat faster. Was she leaning in closer? Should he too? But the common room was packed. But was anyone taking notice? Ron was too busy talking to those first years. Seamus and Dean were drinking down butterbeer. Parvati and Lavender were too busy cheering them on. Neville was snacking on some pumpkin pasties.  
  
They were almost alone.  
  
Almost.  
  
If it weren't for the other years, Harry thought bitterly. He had wanted to be with Hermione alone, in this life. To maybe tell her, or just talk to her. Ask her certain things. But he couldn't. He couldn't betray his best friend.  
  
Hermione's eyelids fluttered to a close, and then she-  
  
"Ah-chooooo!!!"  
  
Harry leaned back, but Hermione had buried her face in his chest, sniffing. She groaned, grabbing fistfuls of his robe. "I think I'm gonna be sick."  
  
Harry suddenly scooped her up in his arms and rushed up the steps towards the dormitory of the Head Girl. He ran towards the bathroom, putting her down beside the toilet. "There, you can, er, vomit away."  
  
Hermione looked up at him, and frowned. "Not that sick, Harry. I meant-" and she sneezed again, "-that kind of sick, sick."  
  
"Oh," Harry mumbled. He ran his hand through his hair. "So my carrying you was no use?" he asked sheepishly. "Sorry, then, Hermione. I was just concerned."  
  
She smiled and struggled to stand up, but Harry assisted her. "No harm done," she mumbled reaching over to turn on the sink. She splashed her face with water. "I'll just go to bed now," she added.  
  
"Shouldn't you take a bath first?" Harry asked. But then he added hastily, "Not that I'm saying you smell, because you don't. You don't. I just meant that you were, er, there was rain, and it would be better if you took a bath first."  
  
Hermione nodded at him. "Then, out you go."  
  
Harry blushed, and stepped out the bathroom. He wasn't sure if he should wait or just leave. Half of him wanted to stay but the other told him to leave because what if Ron came in and he.well, the whole common room probably saw him rushing out, with Hermione in his arms. He was expecting Ron to barge in the room, any second now.  
  
Any second now.  
  
Then, he'd been demanding what his best friend was doing with his girlfriend. And Harry would explain.  
  
Any second now.  
  
Harry wondered what he would do if Dean made a move on Hermione. Of course, there was Mona and Dean wouldn't think of cheating on Mona, but still. What if? And what was going on, anyway? Was this all a dream? Or was it real, except it was a dream?  
  
He wasn't sure if he liked this life, this magical life. His parents were dead. He was famous, though, because of a scar on his head. But he didn't like being gawked upon by people, and people having to react to him being the only one You-Know-Who was unable to defeat.  
  
And, of course, there was Hermione. In the other life, it was him that she loved but here, it was Ron. And Harry didn't think he could endure watching Ron and Hermione fall in love.  
  
"Harry?"  
  
He turned around, and there she was, as fresh as spring. There was a glow about her, and Harry couldn't speak. She was so beautiful.  
  
"You all right?" she asked, her voice shy.  
  
Harry nodded and urging himself to speak, he blurted out, "You are so beautiful."  
  
The door burst open-  
  
"Harry, wake up. Time to go to school," Lily Potter sang stepping inside Harry's room.  
  
Harry bolted upright, and stared at the door. Who had walked in? 


	10. The Muggles Come Together

The Choice Within A Dream (Le Choix Dans Un Rêve)  
  
Complete Summary: The muggles in the Harry Potter series did not receive their letters from Hogwarts because a very strict Headmaster, who does not accept muggles, runs the school. So Harry, Hermione and Dean Thomas don't know anything about magic or anything that is associated with it (including Ron). It's like Hogwarts never happened.  
Harry lives a normal life, with both his parents and his two best friends, Hermione and Dean. But in a dream, Harry finds himself in a magical world where there is a boy named Ron, where he is famous for a lightning bolt scar but, a world wherein his parents are dead.  
In the end, Harry Potter has to choose between living the life of a muggle, or living in the world of magic.  
  
*Note* I'm putting French translations, because I want to. Hehehe. Hope you like this story, and if you're confused, or you hate it, or you like it =) .then just review and say so. Oh man, thank you ALL so much for the reviews!!! Keeps me going!!!  
  
This is where the other muggles are introduced. I only know a few of them, so forgive me I forgot to mention some. And anyway, some of these muggles are just half [half-muggle, half-witch] Might get confusing again. Sorry if things just keep on getting confusing, or if it's boring but everything shall be explained soon! I promise! =D  
  
+read, enjoy, review+  
  
Chapter 10 - The Muggles Come Together (Le Muggles Viennent Ensemble)  
  
Harry Potter stared outside the window. In the distance, he could clearly see the students running around the track and some guys playing soccer on the field. In his mind, he clearly saw a different image. An image of seven players riding brooms.  
  
Harry was getting confused. He wasn't sure if he was living two lives. Was that even possible? He had told himself on his way to school this morning that maybe he had a split personality, and he knew what the other Harry was like. The other Harry that lived in that magical world.  
  
When he remembered the magical world, his heart sank. In the other world, Hermione didn't love him. She was with his best friend, Ronald Weasley. But in his recent dream, the one with the Quidditch, was it his imagination or was Hermione going to kiss him?  
  
Harry shook his head.  
  
It was his imagination, since Hermione had sneezed at him, instead of kiss him. He wondered how she was doing now if she was still sick. He wondered more what his other self was doing. Was it some sort parallel universe that he was also thinking and doing things here just as his other self was also doing things there?  
  
Harry held the cry of frustration that was welling up inside him. He wanted answers to all his questions but whom could he possibly ask? His parents?  
  
His thoughts went back to the dream, and he suddenly found himself obsessing over who could have walked in Hermione's room. The door had opened that exact same moment his mother had walked to wake him for another day of school.  
  
The bell rang, interrupting his thoughts.  
  
"We shall proceed on to Act III," his teacher was saying.  
  
Harry inwardly groaned. He was going to fail this class if he continued on daydreaming about his twisted life. Whenever Mr. McGregor said that they'd be discussing the next act for Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, that usually meant he was going to quiz them on the previous act, which was just discussed.  
  
But since he was busy understanding his magical life, he wasn't paying any attention, so that meant that he was going to fail the quiz.  
  
Harry trudged heavily out the classroom, feeling his spirits sinking. He had lunch period next which was good because he was going to see Hermione. The sight of her would definitely cheer him up.  
  
He went to their usual spot just outside the Quad. Their 'spot' was their usual hangout, composing of benches underneath a tree. He was glad to see that everyone else was there. Mona and Hermione were laughing over something while Dean was looking annoyed.  
  
"What's up?" he said as way of greeting.  
  
"Harry!" Dean exclaimed his face lighting up. "Thank God you're here. I'm just about beaten in this game of battle of the sexes!"  
  
Hermione shook her head. "It's not a game, Dean. Mona and I were simply stating a fact, that is all," she said smiling at her.  
  
Harry smiled back at her, feeling the tension in his body slip away. He didn't mind of he got beaten by Hermione in a game of battle of the sexes. He'd be lost in her, any day. "Hello, my love," he whispered as he sat down beside her.  
  
Hermione giggled, before giving him a quick kiss on the lips.  
  
"Well, well," Mona began with a cynical tone. "Look who finally got together?"  
  
"It took the long enough, Mona," Dean told her, chuckling softly.  
  
"We did not!" Hermione said defensively, her fingers locked with Harry's.  
  
Mona rolled her eyes. "Oh please, Hermione. You and Harry have been looking at each other in that way for so long that Dean and I actually contemplated locking you up in some room for days!"  
  
"I actually suggested chaining the two of you together and throwing away the key," Dean insisted with a grin at Hermione and a wink at Harry.  
  
Harry laughed. "That's a little drastic, don't you think?"  
  
"Oh look, there's Justin," Hermione said. She got a notebook out from her bag, and giving quick Harry a peck on the cheek she murmured, "I'll be back, okay? It's for our book club." Then she rushed over towards Justin Finch-Fletchley.  
  
"Can you believe she still goes to that book club thing?" Dean asked, turning around to watch them as they talked. "What do they do during those sessions anyway?" he added, and with this, he gave Harry a meaningful look.  
  
"Oh Dean," Mona scolded, slightly pushing him with her shoulder. "You can't possibly think that Hermione would be cheating on Harry!"  
  
Dean frowned at Mona. "I wasn't thinking that! What I meant was that Harry should go to one of those sessions and help Hermione out!"  
  
"Riiiiiiiight," Mona said sarcastically. "Whatever you say, Deany."  
  
"Deany?" Harry echoed, raising his eyebrows at them.  
  
Mona giggled while Dean blushed. "It's my nickname for him," Mona explained, batting her eyelashes at Dean. "And he has a nickname for me too, Harry. Go on, Dean say it. I want to hear it from you."  
  
"Mona, do I have to say it now?" Dean complained. "In front of Harry?"  
  
"Now, you say it, or I won't do the things you want me to do," Mona warned.  
  
Harry coughed. "Please, don't say that," he told Mona, covering his ears and shaking his head. "I don't think my stomach could handle it."  
  
Mona giggled. Then she turned to Dean, and she scowled. "Say it, or I'll-"  
  
"All right, all right," Dean interrupted before she could finish her sentence. He was blushing now, like he had bad sunburn. He gritted his teeth. "Mona Lisa."  
  
"There that wasn't so hard was it?" Mona murmured soothingly.  
  
Harry resisted the urge to laugh. Mona Lisa wasn't such a bad nickname as Deany was. As Mona and Dean started coddling each other, his gaze wandered over towards Hermione. She wasn't just talking to Justin now; there were also other people.  
  
Probably members of the book club, he thought.  
  
His gaze zeroed in on Justin because he looked familiar. He was trying to place him, where he had seen Justin before. And then it clicked. Justin was from Hufflepuff! There was also a Justin in the magical world just as there was a Dean, and a Hermione. And him.  
  
Harry tried to figure out what the connecting factor was between the four of them when he spotted the Creeveys, both talking excitedly. And as if on cue, Seamus Finnigan also walked in the Quad and he sat down on one of the benches.  
  
And then the answer came to him like he was hit with a bolt of lightning. They were all muggles, either half or whole. While they were here in this muggle world, going to Stonewall High Public School, they was also a 'them' in the magical world, going to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardy.  
  
But what did this all mean?  
  
"Harry, are you alright?" Hermione was standing before him, gazing at him curiously. She waved her hand in front of his face, and he blinked. "You look like you're trying to figure out a math problem," she kidded.  
  
Harry looked around. Everyone was going back in the building.  
  
"Er, let's get to class, then," Harry said standing up and collecting his things.  
  
"You sure you're alright, Harry?" Hermione asked, concerned for him.  
  
Harry looked at her, and smiled. "You worry so much," he murmured, his face hovering just above hers. He gently brushed his lips over her forehead, and moved lower where he kissed her nose.  
  
She sighed. "I worry about you, Harry," she whispered softly.  
  
"Why?" Harry asked, leaning back. "You don't have to," he assured shaking his head slowly. "I'm fine, Hermione, because I have you with me."  
  
She smiled up at him, and wrapping her hands around his neck, his hands placed on her hips, their lips met in a kiss that promised forever. A love that was eternal. 


	11. The Troubles of Mr Harry Potter

The Choice Within A Dream (Le Choix Dans Un Rêve)  
  
Complete Summary: The muggles in the Harry Potter series did not receive their letters from Hogwarts because a very strict Headmaster, who does not accept muggles, runs the school. So Harry, Hermione and Dean Thomas don't know anything about magic or anything that is associated with it (including Ron). It's like Hogwarts never happened.  
Harry lives a normal life, with both his parents and his two best friends, Hermione and Dean. But in a dream, Harry finds himself in a magical world where there is a boy named Ron, where he is famous for a lightning bolt scar but, a world wherein his parents are dead.  
In the end, Harry Potter has to choose between living the life of a muggle, or living in the world of magic.  
  
*Note* I'm putting French translations, because I want to. Hehehe. Hope you like this story, and if you're confused, or you hate it, or you like it =) .then just review and say so. Oh man, thank you ALL so much for the reviews!!! Keeps me going!!!  
  
Thanks to Ryuokami for the reference of that particle. I've seen the pic though. And anyway, I know you're probably waiting to be 'enlightened on whatever it is that is confusing you now' but sorry, it's not on this chapter yet. It's the next chapter, I promise you!!! So for now, Harry is battling inner conflicts with himself, of course. Cheerio, everyone!  
  
Less than a year to go before the 3rd Harry movie, the Prisoner of Azkaban, comes out. And it'll be great! [too bad there's not much Harry/Hermione going on in the movie] Awwwwwww!!! =( Oh well. I'll just keep on writing Harry/Hermione stuff!  
  
Hi, to my dear friend, Bea! Keep on smiling, bud! =)  
  
Okay, I'll shut up now so you can read! =)  
  
+read, enjoy, review+  
  
Chapter 11 - The Troubles of Mr. Harry Potter (Les ennuis de M. Harry Potter)  
  
When Harry got home, his parents were still out. And he decided he'd cook for them, for a change. It felt odd and daunting that in his other life, both his parents were dead. He loved his parents so much and he couldn't imagine life without them.  
  
Yet, while he couldn't imagine life without them, in the back of his head, he already knew how it was like without knowing his parents. In the other world, where he was a wizard, he had lived eleven years with his Aunt and Uncle, and their abominable son, Dudley. It wasn't until Hogwarts, and his fate as the boy who lived, was introduced to him that he discovered his best friends. And his true home.  
  
Harry decided to cook pasta since it was the easiest. While he was boiling the noodles, and preparing the ingredients for the sauce, he thought about his life as Harry Potter, the Boy who lived.  
  
He recalled his classes - Transfiguration, Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Care of Magical Creatures, and yes, even Potions. He remembered his teachers, and especially, the gentle giant Hagrid. Hagrid who lived in that wooden hut at the edge of the Forbidden Forest, living with his boarhound, Fang.  
  
It was hard not to remember the times he had spent with Hagrid, especially since it was he who had saved him from his Uncle and Aunt's house, and told him he was a wizard. And in his years at Hogwarts, spending time with Hagrid, Harry also found out that it was Hagrid who had taken him from the Godric's Hollow, after his parents were attacked.  
  
His parents.dead. It made Harry want to cry. In the other world, he never knew his parents. He had no idea what his parents were like. And he had only mere flashes and heard voices from his parents, but for Harry, it wasn't enough. It wasn't enough.  
  
Harry wiped a tear from his eye. He wasn't sure if it was because of the onions he was chopping or, because of the fact that his parents were dead in the other world. The other Harry didn't know what it was like to be loved by parents.  
  
But.  
  
Even if his parents were dead in the other world, he had so much people who loved and cared for him. His best friends, Ron and Hermione came to mind, and he recalled their many adventures. And even his classmates liked him much more than they did before, where they taught he was Voldemort's heir or something. And there was the Weasleys who was like another family to him.  
  
And Quidditch. He loved playing Quidditch, weaving his way through everyone and everything in his Firebolt, searching for the small golden ball that would be the ticket to winning the game.  
  
Harry sighed. He realized in his heart that he also loved the magical world. It was just the fact that his parents were dead that bothered him. And also, that the girl he loved most loved another, and not him. It really broke Harry's heart.  
  
And when he thought about it, if he were to be given a choice, he didn't know which world he would choose to live in for the rest of his life.  
  
The front door slammed shut. "Harry?" he heard his mother call.  
  
Harry saw that the sauce wasn't done yet, and so was the bread. He rushed out the kitchen, grinning when he saw his mum. "Mum, have a nice day?" he asked as he hugged her tightly, his eyes closed. He couldn't imagine a life without his mum.  
  
"Harry," she said surprised. Harry opened his eyes, and pulled back. She surveyed him, worry all over her face. "Are you alright?" she asked in her motherly soothing voice.  
  
Harry sighed inwardly. He couldn't, just could not imagine life without her. Putting on a smile, he said in reply, "I'm alright, really, mum. Why do you ask?"  
  
She looked him in the eyes, her hand resting on his chin. "God, you're so tall. I barely reach your chin," she kidded. Then growing serious, she said, "Harry, I've been with you ever since you were a baby. Actually, you were in me at the start. The thing is Harry, I know you and I can see in your eyes that something troubles you."  
  
Harry's heart squeezed painfully. He blinked back the tears in his eyes. He wanted so much to say that it just didn't trouble him, it confused him, it broke his heart, and it made him feel miserable. Instead he said, "It's nothing really, mum. Just school stuff."  
  
Her eyes narrowed slightly. "You're not having any troubles with Hermione, are you?"  
  
Hardly!  
  
"No, mum," Harry replied hastily. He shook his head, smiling over the thought. "Nothing like that. In fact, Hermione's one of the reasons that's helping me with my problems at school. And you and dad, of course."  
  
She laughed. "Oh, Harry," she sighed. "You tell us if you have any problems, all right? We're here for you, your father and I. Always will be."  
  
Harry's heart ached again. Always was a long time, wasn't it?  
  
"I love you, mum," he whispered hugging her once more.  
  
"I love you, Harry," Lily Potter whispered to him, her eyes shutting tight because of the tears that were now in her eyes. She knew.  
  
Harry pulled back, and without looking at his mother, he went back to the kitchen. "I'm cooking dinner, mum," he explained. "So you just relax while I get it ready."  
  
She smiled at her son. He had grown so much. And she wanted so much to help him, to tell him what she knew. But she couldn't. No, she couldn't. She dropped onto the couch, and sobbed quietly.  
  
Harry fixed dinner in about thirty minutes. By then, his father had come home too and they had a family dinner, talking and laughing. Harry felt good. He wanted to be with his parents more than he could imagine. He loved them so much!  
  
"Harry, so when am I going to meet this girl of yours?" his dad asked.  
  
Harry frowned slightly. "Dad, you already know her!"  
  
"Well, I do," he admitted, nodding his head. "But I want to see my son the exact same position I was in twenty years ago," he added chuckling.  
  
"Oh, Harold," Lily scolded, shaking her head. "You don't want to make Harry nervous."  
  
"But, dad, twenty years ago?" Harry repeated, growing confused. Though it felt good to be confused over something that was in his real life, and not in a dream. "Didn't you tell me.?"  
  
Lily nodded. "We were engaged for a year, before the wedding. Then a year after our wedding, we had you," she said softly, her eyes aglow. She smiled at both father and son.  
  
Harry wrinkled his nose. "You want to see me the same position you were in twenty years ago? But that was the time you proposed to mum!" he cried out, comprehension dawning on him. It felt even better to be enlightened on whatever it was that confused you.  
  
"Well," Harold Potter began to say. With a grin on his face, he winked at Harry, "Aren't you going to propose to *her*?" 


	12. The Old Man in the Darkness

The Choice Within A Dream (Le Choix Dans Un Rêve)  
  
Complete Summary: The muggles in the Harry Potter series did not receive their letters from Hogwarts because a very strict Headmaster, who does not accept muggles, runs the school. So Harry, Hermione and Dean Thomas don't know anything about magic or anything that is associated with it (including Ron). It's like Hogwarts never happened.  
Harry lives a normal life, with both his parents and his two best friends, Hermione and Dean. But in a dream, Harry finds himself in a magical world where there is a boy named Ron, where he is famous for a lightning bolt scar but, a world wherein his parents are dead.  
In the end, Harry Potter has to choose between living the life of a muggle, or living in the world of magic.  
  
*Note* I'm putting French translations, because I want to. Hehehe. Hope you like this story, and if you're confused, or you hate it, or you like it =) .then just review and say so. Oh man, thank you ALL so much for the reviews!!! Keeps me going!!!  
  
The name of Harry's dad is really James Potter, right? So why is it HAROLD Potter in this story, and not James? Well, read on and find out! This is the part that will explain all! [Even why Harry's surname is still Potter, and not another surname]  
  
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter. That's thanks to J.K. Rowling, not me. :-p  
  
+read, enjoy, review+  
  
Chapter 12 - The Old Man in the Darkness (Le vieil homme dans l'obscurité)  
  
Midnight.  
  
The Grandfather clock inside the house chimed twelve times, indicating that it was already midnight. Outside the house, it was dark except for the porch light and the streetlights. A gust of wind blew, and everything was silent.  
  
The moon shone brightly, its beam touching everything. A cloud shifted covering the moon, and the shadow on the roof was hidden. No one noticed the eighteen-year-old sitting on the roof, staring at the heavens above him.  
  
Harry Potter lay down on his roof, with his arms propped in his head. He gazed at the stars above him, the clouds, the moonless sky. He wasn't sleeping because he didn't want to, because he was afraid of what dream he might dream this time.  
  
His thoughts drifted to what his father had asked him.  
  
"Aren't you going to propose to *her*?" Harold Potter had asked.  
  
And Harry found himself wondering if what Hermione would say. He did want to spend the rest of his life with her, but he told himself he was too young. He was only eighteen. He still had to experience life, to know more about the world out there.  
  
But still. He wanted to spend his life with her. Even if he was only eighteen, and he was too young for such things as love, he was sure in his heart. She was the one for him.  
  
It was with this last thought that Harry fell asleep.  
  
When Harry opened his eyes, the first thing that he saw was nothing. It was dark from where he was, and he blinked several times for his eyes to get accustomed to the darkness. He pushed himself to a sitting position, and his hands felt the hard floor. He stood up, and walking several paces, found himself facing the wall. He reached out to touch it with his fingertips, and he saw it was also hard.  
  
Harry realized he was in some sort of cave. He blinked and when he opened his eyes, light filled the cave. He could see the jagged stones along the walls. Above him were stalactites and stalagmites.  
  
Then suddenly, the lights dimmed. It got darker. Harry blinked.  
  
The third time he blinked, he could see nothing in front of him. He remembered that if he were a wizard now, he would have a wand with him, and he realized a wand would certainly be useful now. He searched his pockets, feeling hopeful but he came up with nothing.  
  
Then-  
  
"So, young Harry," a voice called from within.  
  
Harry squinted his eyes for a better look, if that was possible. "Who are you?"  
  
"I'm a friend."  
  
"Where are you?" Harry asked looking around him.  
  
The man chuckled gleefully. "Everywhere, Harry. I'm everywhere."  
  
Harry looked around him. The whole cave was dark. "Is this a trick?"  
  
"Oh no, Harry, no, no," the voice answered. And from the other end of the cave, a light shone, illuminating the shadow of a man. Harry squinted his eyes, moving a few steps towards the light. He saw an old man with long white hair, and holding a cane. "Hello, Harry," he greeted looking up.  
  
Harry didn't know what to say. Instead he smiled politely. The old man hobbled closer to him, and Harry saw clear blue eyes. Though he was old, he looked alert and his had a strong gaze that was directed on Harry, giving him a searching look.  
  
"Er, how do you know me?" Harry asked uncertainly. He was afraid he might offend the old man.  
  
Again, the old man chuckled gleefully. "We've met before," he replied though his voice was light, his tone was serious. He slowly sat down on a protruding rock and exhaled as though he had been walking for miles, and he was tired. He placed the cane on his left side.  
  
"Er, did you bring me here?" Harry asked, taking a few more steps closer.  
  
"No," the man answered. He gestured at the rock that was opposite him, for Harry to sit. "Actually, you brought yourself here," he said watching as Harry sat down.  
  
Harry stared at the old man, his mind full of questions. Then he realized-  
  
"Am I dreaming?" he asked excitedly.  
  
The old man smiled at him. "Yes and no," he answered. "You are in that place between waking and sleeping."  
  
Harry wrinkled his nose. He was getting confused again. "Er, I don't understand-"  
  
"Quite understandable," the old man began, "-that you don't understand. Well, Harry, let me first introduce myself. My name is," he paused staring at the ceiling, "-well, call me Sir Richard."  
  
"Sir Richard?" Harry echoed, wrinkling his eyebrows. "Are you a knight?"  
  
"Oh no," Sir Richard chuckled. "But I do sometimes wonder and think of myself as one," he admitted and then leaning against the wall of the cave, a slow easy smile crept up his face and he had a faraway look in his eyes.  
  
"Er, Sir, I, uh, still don't understand," Harry stammered, not wanting to disturb him.  
  
Sir Richard blinked and he turned to Harry. "Oh right. I was going to explain wasn't I?" he asked, and when Harry nodded, he continued. "Well you see, Harry, I have met you. You might not recall now but I assure you will, later on. Now, I have known about your dreams-"  
  
Harry was stunned. "How-?"  
  
"Well, never mind that. The thing is when you are awake you live as muggle but when you are asleep, you dream that you live as a wizard," Sir Richard explained. "You see, Harry, being a muggle is how the world is. It is more real, and that is why your life is a muggle life when you are awake," he paused.  
  
Harry thought for a second about what he had just said.  
  
"Now, when it comes to magic, well, it's unreal, isn't it? Almost no one knows that witches and wizards really do exist except for the lot of us. Magic is just like an imagination to one, and this is why you become a wizard when you are asleep."  
  
"But I don't understand," Harry insisted shaking his head. "Have I been living like this ever since I was born?" he asked incredulous.  
  
"Oh no," Sir Richard disagreed. "Not since you were born. This has just happened only recently. After your eighteenth birthday, in fact."  
  
"Er, who started all of it?" Harry asked.  
  
"That would be me, Harry," Sir Richard replied. "Because if you would remember how your wizarding life is like, you were orphaned ever since you were a baby. I wanted to give you a chance to live a life with your parents."  
  
Harry nodded slowly. He was the boy who lived, not being able to know his parents. He had hungered so much for the love that parents would give their child. And he was glad that he knew now. But-  
  
"But, I don't understand why my dad is Harold Potter and not James Potter?"  
  
Sir Richard's eyes glinted. "Harry, what have you noticed in your waking life?"  
  
Harry thought for a moment. He looked at Sir Richard, and shrugged. "You mean, my life as a muggle? Well, I can't use magic."  
  
"Quite right, Harry," Sir Richard said nodding. "Quite right, but that is not the answer I was looking for," he paused and gazed at Harry. "Who are your friends?"  
  
"Hermione and Dean," Harry answered. He looked at Sir Richard. The old man had his eyes closed eyes, waiting for Harry to come to the answer. Harry racked his brain for the answer. "But it should be Ron," he mumbled.  
  
"Exactly," Sir Richard said, his eyes flowing open. "What does that mean?"  
  
"It means that-" Harry began slowly, and then in his mind popped a familiar scene, a familiar scene from the Quad at school. And then the realization hit him. "That's it! We're muggles!" he exclaimed excitedly.  
  
Sir Richard nodded slightly. "Very good, Harry. Some of you were half- muggles but unlike the case of Dean and Hermione, they both had muggle parents," he explained. Then leaning closer to Harry, he continued, "Now Harry, I shall explain everything to you now."  
  
Harry nodded eagerly. He'd been so anxious for someone to be able to tell him what was going on in his life and answer all his questions. This was his chance. 


	13. The Choice to be made

The Choice Within A Dream (Le Choix Dans Un Rêve)  
  
Complete Summary: The muggles in the Harry Potter series did not receive their letters from Hogwarts because a very strict Headmaster, who does not accept muggles, runs the school. So Harry, Hermione and Dean Thomas don't know anything about magic or anything that is associated with it (including Ron). It's like Hogwarts never happened.  
Harry lives a normal life, with both his parents and his two best friends, Hermione and Dean. But in a dream, Harry finds himself in a magical world where there is a boy named Ron, where he is famous for a lightning bolt scar but, a world wherein his parents are dead.  
In the end, Harry Potter has to choose between living the life of a muggle, or living in the world of magic.  
  
*Note* I'm putting French translations, because I want to. Hehehe. Hope you like this story, and if you're confused, or you hate it, or you like it =) .then just review and say so. Thanks for the reviews!!! =) Cheers to you readers!  
  
Here it is, folks. I hope I've got everything covered, explained it all clearly. I admit I got confused myself, which is why I advise you never to post a story until it is all finished. I sort of had trouble adjusting to the chapters that I already had posted. Anyway, I tried my best to explain it all and if it gets confusing just review and say so. Hope you like it. Even if it gets boring.  
  
Oh and once you've realized who Sir Richard is, you'll understand why that's his name. =)  
  
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter. That's thanks to J.K. Rowling, not me. :-p  
  
+read, enjoy, review+  
  
Chapter 13 - The Choice to be made (Le choix à faire)  
  
"Before your first year at Hogwarts, you received a letter, addressed specifically to you," Sir Richard said. Harry opened his mouth to ask how he knew about that but Sir Richard simply held his hand up. Harry snapped his mouth shut.  
  
"Now this letter invited you to a place you have never know before. A place that was magical, quite literally of course, but also figuratively. You came to this place where you met your best friends, Ron and Hermione, where you transfigured objects, where you flew on a broomsticks. But most important," he paused dramatically, "where you discovered about the fate that awaited you, and the destiny that was made for you."  
  
The boy who lived, Harry thought. Then he waited patiently for Sir Richard to continue.  
  
"All this happens when you are dreaming. Now, have you ever wondered about how your life would be if the exact same opposite had happened?" Sir Richard asked, gazing at Harry with his blue eyes that reminded Harry of the sea during a summer day - crystal clear but with uncertain depths.  
  
"How my life would be?" Harry repeated. Now that he thought of it, he did wonder how his life would be like. But then he understood that he had already lived the life of what if the exact same opposite had happened. "But it's what my waking life is like."  
  
Sir Richard smiled slowly. "Correct, Harry. What if you hadn't gotten your letter? But what would be the reason behind you not getting your letter, since you are half-wizard by blood? Well now, the answer to that is the Headmaster of Hogwarts-"  
  
"What, Professor Dumbledore did this?" Harry interrupted, unable to control himself.  
  
Sir Richard's eyes twinkled as he smiled once more. Harry had the distinct feeling that he had seen those eyes before. "He may have something to do with it," Sir Richard admitted. "But as I was saying Harry, the present Headmaster of Hogwarts is not him."  
  
"What?" Harry exclaimed, his eyes widening. "But who is it?"  
  
"His name is not important, Harry," Sir Richard answered. "However it is his-" he paused, thinking of a better word, "-unyielding bigotry that is of a concern to us. He does not accept half bloods, or muggles at Hogwarts. Only purebloods are accepted at Hogwarts."  
  
Harry thought for a moment. So that was why the others weren't accepted. He wondered how Ron was dealing with this new Headmaster, or if he favored the Slytherins.  
  
"Naturally so," Sir Richard commented as though reading Harry's mind. "He does favor Slytherins. After all, who else but Salazar Slytherin came up with all that pureblood nonsense? And as for your friend, Ron," he peered at Harry, "I daresay he is doing fine."  
  
"I wonder who his best friends are," Harry thought out loud.  
  
"Well, you don't know them, just as Ron wouldn't know who one of your friends are. He doesn't know who Mona is," Sir Richard clarified. Then he cleared his throat. "So you see, Harry, because muggles weren't accepted at Hogwarts, history changed too. Your mother wasn't accepted at Hogwarts, being of muggle parentage herself, and she didn't meet James Potter."  
  
Harry frowned slightly. "So instead she met my other dad, Harold Potter," he stated, more to himself. He looked at Sir Richard. "But how come my surname is still Potter? Why not just, er, O' Clarence? Or McGregor? Or some other English name?"  
  
"Harry," Sir Richard began, his voice soft. "Some things are meant to stay the same."  
  
"Right," Harry said, leaving the topic at that. "But what about Voldemort? I mean, what happened to James Potter?"  
  
"He went to Hogwarts, where he did meet his friends and formed that group called the Marauders," Sir Richard said, adjusting his cloak that Harry for the first noticed was purple in color. "Now, as for Voldemort, he did rise to power. There's a different boy who will defeat him when the time comes, but that, Harry, is not our business."  
  
Harry's shoulders sagged. He wondered though how Hogwarts was like when he was at Stonewall High Public School, living as a muggle. "But I still don't understand why my life is like this," Harry mumbled feeling stupid. He did understand though that he it was like some sort of parallel universe. While he was going to Stonewall High, there really was a Hogwarts.  
  
"You are right in thinking that," Sir Richard said. "While you and your muggle friends go to Stonewall High, Ron and his wizard friends also go to Hogwarts. This is proven during that day when you and Hermione and Dean saw his sister go through that barrier. You know, of course that that barrier is the secret gateway to Hogwarts."  
  
Harry remembered now what had happened. Ron's dad had cast the Memory Charm on them, which is why they couldn't remember. He looked at Sir Richard with a perplexed expression, and asked, "How come I remember that now since Mr. Weasley cast the Memory Charm on me?"  
  
"Because of where you are now, Harry," Sir Richard replied. "You are in that place between waking and sleeping, between being a muggle and being a wizard. Now, you were wondering why your life is like this," he gave Harry a stern gaze. "That Harry is my doing."  
  
"What?" Harry cried out, incredulous. "Why would you do this? I've been driven to insanity just trying to figure out what I really am! I've begun to think I had some sort of split personality I didn't know about but it was weird since it all just happened in my dreams and-"  
  
"Harry, I did what I did because I wanted to give you a chance," Sir Richard interrupted quietly. "I know it is hard for you, but in the end, you will find yourself thanking me for what I've done."  
  
Harry seriously doubted it, but he didn't say anything.  
  
"Living as a wizard you have your friends, you have your classes that teach you to do magic, you play Quidditch, you explore the very walls of your school which can do magic on its own," Sir Richard enumerated. "But what you don't have is your parents. I have seen you hunger for this kind of love, Harry, and on your last year at Hogwarts, I wanted to give you a chance."  
  
A ringing silence fell inside the cave. Harry's heart was beating fast. He wasn't sure what to say, or how to act. Dimly, he became aware that he was now in his 7th year at Hogwarts, and it gave his stomach a funny jolt. He was going to graduate and leave Hogwarts soon.  
  
Sir Richard had given him a second chance to be with his parents, but at a cost. He wasn't a wizard and history was changed. And then he voiced a thought that was troubling him. "But if you wanted to give me another chance, how come it was with a different father? Why not my real dad, James Potter?"  
  
The old man sighed deeply. "I knew you would ask that," he murmured. "And Harry the answer, I'm afraid, will not be enough for you. I have told you already that your mother wasn't accepted at Hogwarts. She had gone to a muggle university where she met Harold Potter. But I assure you, Harry, there is a strange likeness between James and Harold."  
  
Harry sank bank down on his rock, feeling dejected. What kind of strange likeness anyway? It disappointed him that he had to have two different fathers.  
  
"I didn't write the story that you know live, I merely designed it," Sir Richard quietly answered. "Some of it I did not decide on my own. But I surmise as much, Harry. Some things are meant to stay the same. You have the same mother in both lives because of the special bond that she gave to you."  
  
Harry stared at his feet. But if his mother didn't meet James Potter, and if they didn't have a son, then Voldemort wouldn't have come after them. And if he, Harry Potter, wasn't born, what reason did Voldemort have to come after Lily Potter? And if Voldemort didn't come after the Potters at Godric's Hollow, what reason would there be for Lily to die for her son and thus giving him that special bond?  
  
Sir Richard stared at Harry. "Harry, your muggle life has its origins from your wizard life. That is how I designed it. And as long as that was done, I left the other details to human nature," he paused, "Or shall I say, Mother Nature?"  
  
Harry remained silent. His slowly understood it all. His dreams were really what were happening at Hogwarts to remind him of his original life as a wizard. But when he woke up, he was living the second chance that this man had given him - to satisfy his hunger on the love that his parents had given him. And even, the love that Hermione had given him.  
  
Harry looked at Sir Richard, wondering if he was reading his mind now. He wanted to ask about Hermione. Why then did she love Ron in the wizard world and why did she love him in the muggle world?  
  
He shook his head. He didn't have to ask that. Putting the thought aside, he wondered what he was doing here - in this place between waking and sleeping - wondering what was going to happen to him. "What-" he began to ask but right then, Sir Richard gave him a piercing glance. And Harry knew.  
  
He had to make a choice.  
  
He had to choose which life to live. That was what he was doing here. That was why this man had explained it all to him. He was being given a chance to live with his parents or to go on living without his parents, but-  
  
Sir Richard reached for his cane, and tapping it against the wall three times, thousands of candles burst out from it, lining accordingly along the wall. Harry blinked several times to get accustomed to the light.  
  
They were both silent, watching as the flames danced, playing shadows on the walls.  
  
"Harry, this is something I wanted for you. To know what it is like," Sir Richard began to say, "And I am sorry, my boy, but you cannot live like this forever. There has to be a point in your life that you have to choose between a life where you *have* everything, to a life where you *can* have everything. The choice is entirely up to you, Harry."  
  
Harry nodded, fully understanding it. "Once I've made my choice, will I remember what the other life was like?"  
  
"Do you want to remember, Harry?" Sir Richard asked in return. "Do you want to remember how you would have lived like this, or that, and then you would go on thinking how you wish you would have made a different choice. You would go on wondering and thinking what if you chose differently," he shook his head. "No, it's best of if you don't remember."  
  
Harry was silent. Then he asked, "Do I have to make the choice now?"  
  
Sir Richard looked intently at him. "Not really," he replied. "I will you give two days and two nights, and then, I shall come back for your choice. Is that enough?"  
  
"I suppose so," Harry mumbled feeling his heart beating faster than normal. Two days, and two nights before his life would entirely change. Two options for one choice he had to make. He supposed it was fair that he didn't have to remember anything. It was fair, all right.  
  
But it wasn't! Harry thought miserably. How could he make a choice like this? He was only eighteen! He couldn't choose between magic and his parents, or something like that. He needed more time-  
  
"We are agreed then, Harry?" Sir Richard said, interrupting his thoughts.  
  
Harry looked at the old man. With the light in the cave, he saw more clearly the old man's face. His blue eyes shone like the light itself. His nose was crooked, as though it was broken twice already. He was thin, and very old because of the long silvery hair and beard that was tucked in his belt. And his cloak shone purple.  
  
Harry had already met this man before. But he couldn't place him.  
  
Sighing deeply, Harry nodded. "We're agreed. Two days and two nights."  
  
Sir Richard smiled and nodded. He reached for his cane, and stood up. "See you then, Harry Potter," he called as he hobbled towards the same place he had come in. As he took each step further away from Harry, each candle vanished out of sight. And the cave grew darker as he left, until he was gone.  
  
Harry blinked, thinking it was rather rude of him to leave Harry in the dark.  
  
But when Harry stood up, he felt something hard and uneven underneath him. He reached for the stonewall of the cave, but when he did, he touched nothing. And he nearly fell of the roof. He was back on the roof, with the stars twinkling above him. And the moon still hidden behind the cloud. 


	14. No Dreams For Now

The Choice Within A Dream (Le Choix Dans Un Rêve)  
  
Complete Summary: The muggles in the Harry Potter series did not receive their letters from Hogwarts because a very strict Headmaster, who does not accept muggles, runs the school. So Harry, Hermione and Dean Thomas don't know anything about magic or anything that is associated with it (including Ron). It's like Hogwarts never happened.  
Harry lives a normal life, with both his parents and his two best friends, Hermione and Dean. But in a dream, Harry finds himself in a magical world where there is a boy named Ron, where he is famous for a lightning bolt scar but, a world wherein his parents are dead.  
In the end, Harry Potter has to choose between living the life of a muggle, or living in the world of magic.  
  
*Note* I'm putting French translations, because I want to. Hehehe. Hope you like this story, and if you're confused, or you hate it, or you like it =) .then just review and say so. Thanks for the reviews!!! =) Cheers to you readers!  
  
Hey, everyone! Gaaaaaawd, I know. I'm slow on the update. It was midterm week last week so, I was supposedly studying when in fact I was sleeping half the time because I'm so lazy to do anything!!! I mean, I wasn't studying yet I wasn't doing this story. Anyway, this part probably sucks. I'm not good with the details now. It's like I want to finish the story so that you won't be confused anymore!  
  
Oh well, go on. I'll shut up, so you can read!  
  
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter. That's thanks to J.K. Rowling, not me. :-p  
  
+read, enjoy, review+  
  
Chapter 14 - No Dreams For Now (Non Rêves pour maintenant)  
  
After the dream with the mysterious old man in the dark, Harry couldn't think clearly. Images of his two lives haunted him. He didn't know which choice he would choose. And it angered him more so that he had to make a choice!  
  
This was all the old man's doings after all. Sir Richard, whoever he really was. He wanted to give Harry a chance to know what it was like to be with his parents, but at a cost. To live with his parents he had to be a muggle. And to live without his parents, he had to be a wizard.  
  
Harry thought to himself that he should choose his parents over magic. He should choose to go on living like a muggle, be with his parents for the rest of his life. And there was more to it than that. Hermione loved him, while he was here.  
  
If he went back to being a wizard, sure there was magic and all that, Hermione didn't love him. She loved Ron.  
  
All these things made Harry's head ache.  
  
He trudged down the stairs heavily, and walked inside the kitchen, halfheartedly. The sight of his parents smiling at each other, and at him, brought tears to his eyes.  
  
"Morning," he muttered dejectedly.  
  
Lily Potter gazed at her son. "What's wrong, Harry? Are you alright?"  
  
Harry looked at his mom. Ever since that night when he had cooked dinner for them, when he had told her he loved her, he sensed something in her. It was as if she knew what he was going through. Did she, in fact, go through, what he was going through? And she chose to be a muggle for the rest of her life?  
  
"It's just a headache," Harry replied quietly, sitting down on a chair.  
  
"You can miss school, son," Harold Potter said, he looked at Harry, concerned.  
  
Harry fought the tears that were threatening to overflow. His parents cared and loved him so much, how could he not choose them?  
  
"I'm okay, dad," he reassured. "Really." He busied himself with piling his plate with food, to get his mind of his worries. He didn't see his mother, wipe the tears that was in her eyes with her apron.  
  
When Harry got to school, it was the same thing all over again. Seeing Hermione, reminded him of what he was going to loose if he chose to be a wizard for the rest of his life. He had told himself that it was an easy choice.  
  
Why would he choose to be a wizard whom people gawked at everywhere he went, because of a scar on his forehead? Why did he choose to go on living with the Dursleys when he could live with his parents, his real parents, at that?  
  
But then, he remembered Ron and Hagrid, and Lupin, Moody and all the friends he had made. They were all connected to the magical world. It was a good thing school was cut short that day and football practice hadn't started yet.  
  
He was on his way home, when he heard someone yell his name.  
  
"Harry!" Dean called to him.  
  
Harry sighed inwardly. He didn't want to be reminded of the friendship he was going to loose. Sure, Dean Thomas was also in the wizarding world, but he was best friends with Seamus Finnigan while he was best friends with Ron.  
  
"Mona, Hermione and I have been looking all over for you. Come on. We're going sightseeing," Dean said grinning.  
  
Harry couldn't resist the urge to grin. Sightseeing usually meant Mona and Hermione shopping while Dean peeked through the curtains of the dressing rooms, more specifically, the dressing room of Mona. And now that he and Hermione were together, Dean had been trying to coax him into taking a peek at Hermione's dressing room, which Harry had said constantly he was going to do.  
  
He didn't want to invade someone else's privacy, especially his girlfriend's.  
  
"Dean, seriously," Harry muttered. "You're coming out as some sort of pervert."  
  
Dean chuckled as they walked. "So what? Mona likes it. I like it. We both like it. It works for both of us," he replied. "It's only you and Hermione who are so conservative with your relationship."  
  
Harry chose not to ask what Dean meant when he said 'conservative'. He merely shrugged and they continued walking until they spotted the girls. They were both huddled close together, as though imparting a juicy gossip.  
  
"Dad lent me his car today," Dean explained. "Ladies," he greeted as they approached.  
  
Mona gave a squeal of delight and ran towards Dean, throwing her arms around him in a big bear hug. Dean staggered back but Harry could see he liked it. He shook his head, and sat down beside Hermione. Their hands met and clasped together.  
  
"Ewww," Mona commented when she saw this. "That is so 1950's."  
  
"And your way is so year 3000," Hermione said smiling. "Anyway, I think I like the 1950s way much better," she added looking fondly at Harry.  
  
"Same here," Harry agreed tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. He was so much in love with her. And he wondered how he survived the life of Harry Potter, boy wizard, without her love when his muggle life without Hermione would surely kill him.  
  
Dean snorted. "Come on, lovebirds," he drawled his arm around Mona's waist.  
  
They all piled in the car and Dean drove to the mall.  
  
Harry was happy. For now, he didn't have to worry about the choice he was going to have to make sooner, than later. 


	15. Between Waking and Sleeping

The Choice Within A Dream (Le Choix Dans Un Rêve)  
  
Complete Summary: The muggles in the Harry Potter series did not receive their letters from Hogwarts because a very strict Headmaster, who does not accept muggles, runs the school. So Harry, Hermione and Dean Thomas don't know anything about magic or anything that is associated with it (including Ron). It's like Hogwarts never happened.  
Harry lives a normal life, with both his parents and his two best friends, Hermione and Dean. But in a dream, Harry finds himself in a magical world where there is a boy named Ron, where he is famous for a lightning bolt scar but, a world wherein his parents are dead.  
In the end, Harry Potter has to choose between living the life of a muggle, or living in the world of magic.  
  
*Note* I'm putting French translations, because I want to. Hehehe. Hope you like this story, and if you're confused, or you hate it, or you like it =) .then just review and say so. Thanks for the reviews!!! =) Cheers to you readers!  
  
Okay, this is the 15th chapter out of 18 chapters. Wow. I hope this'll clear up some of your confusion, and if it doesn't, well I suck as a writer!!! ( Next chapter, Harry will make his choice!  
  
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter. That's thanks to J.K. Rowling, not me. :-p  
  
+read, enjoy, review+  
  
Chapter 15 - Between Waking and Sleeping (Entre réveil et sommeil)  
  
Harry knew he was being selfish, not telling Hermione what was going on, but how could he tell her? How could she understand when she wouldn't believe in magic?  
  
After the shopping excursion, he went straight home. He lay in his bed for what seemed like hours but was only minutes. That night he had a dreamless sleep, for the first time in days.  
  
The second day, Saturday, Harry was alarmed. He still didn't know what he was going to choose. And it was on that night that Sir Richard was going to come back for his choice on that night. He wanted to stay in this world and yet he wanted to be a part of the magical world.  
  
He spent Saturday morning, with Hermione. She talked about her plans, about going to college and having a successful career. She wanted to be a doctor, not a dentist though she had said. "Both my parents are dentists," she said. "Can you imagine their daughter a dentist as well? We'd have an entire family of dentists!" And she giggled at the thought.  
  
Harry simply smiled. He liked it when he listened to her. She talked, and he just listened. He didn't know what he would say, after all, his future was still unclear.  
  
"Harry," she said, smiling sweetly up at him. "How are you feeling?"  
  
Harry bent down and kissed her lightly on the lips. "Much better when you're here," he murmured and he truly meant it. "I love you, Hermione."  
  
"Oh Harry, je t'aime," whispered Hermione blissfully. "I love you."  
  
And then a thought occurred to him suddenly. Just in case he chose to be a wizard. "Promise me you won't forget me," Harry whispered to her, nuzzling her hair.  
  
Hermione leaned back, and frowning slightly, she stared at him with questioning eyes. "Harry, what are you saying?" she asked. "What's going on? You look so sad half the time, are you alright?"  
  
"Promise me," he insisted, caressing her cheeks.  
  
"Of course I won't forget. I love you, with all my heart," Hermione reassured. She looked in his eyes, trying to read his mind. She wanted so much to know what had been troubling him for so long. "Harry, I won't forget you. I love you so much."  
  
"But you will. He said you will," Harry muttered distractedly.  
  
"Harry," Hermione began looking up at him. "He? Who's he? What do you mean?"  
  
And then just as Harry was about to say something, Hermione's face became blurred. He blinked several times but she got farther and farther away. He blinked once more and when he opened his eyes, he was at Hogwarts, atop the Astronomy Tower.  
  
He hastily got up, staring wildly at his surroundings. How did he get here?  
  
"There you are," a soft voice called to him.  
  
Harry turned around, and sure enough it was Hermione. She smiled at him, and said, "We've been looking for you," she paused, stopping just a foot closer to him. "You always go on wondering around at night."  
  
Harry swallowed. Ever since he had these dreams.  
  
"Are you alright, Harry?" she asked, concerned.  
  
Harry wrinkled his forehead. That was the third time he had been asked by that question - once by his mother, and twice by Hermione. It was probably a mere coincidence that they were the two women that he loved most in his entire life.  
  
"I'm okay," he mumbled, looking at Hagrid's hut on the school grounds.  
  
"You look so troubled," she whispered almost to herself. Harry turned to her, staring intently at her face. He wondered if there was a chance that they would be together. But how could she love him when she loved Ron?  
  
"I'm just tired," Harry responded truthfully. His whole life tired him.  
  
Hermione smiled slowly. "You need to rest."  
  
"I need-" Harry stopped himself just in time. He was about to say 'you' but how could he say that? He couldn't say that he needed Hermione even his heart wanted so badly for him to say it. If he said something like that, Hermione would probably slap him or tell Ron, and it would be the end of their friendship.  
  
"You need?" Hermione echoed, raising her eyebrows.  
  
"Rest," Harry finished lamely. He ran a hand through his unruly hair and nodded, as though he had made a decision. "I do need rest. And I do need to stop wondering around late at night."  
  
Hermione giggled. "You sounded like you were trying to please me," she mumbled, moving closer to him. Harry didn't move. "Like you wanted to say those words aloud to assure yourself, when you and I both now you won't be doing it."  
  
Harry grinned. "I guess you know me so well."  
  
Hermione stood beside him, looking out at the school grounds. "And I do, Harry. I've known you ever since we were eleven. Almost seven years ago," she said softly, then she turned to face him. "Harry, have you been having dreams lately?"  
  
Harry coughed. How did she know?  
  
Hermione looked down at her shoes, then she looked up again. "I know you so well, and I do know that these dreams are troubling you."  
  
"What do you know about my dreams?" Harry asked, facing her.  
  
"That you're being given a chance to live with your parents, but you have to be a muggle," she answered, her head dropping. "But that's as far as I know. Nothing else. And as to how I knew," she paused and looked up. "I had a vision of one your dreams."  
  
"What?" Harry cried out. Did she see herself with him? That they were together in another life?  
  
"You and your parents," Hermione whispered sadly, tears glistening in her eyes. "You looked so happy with them, and I felt so sad for you, Harry. You never knew who your parents were, and I felt that whoever was doing this, I wanted to thank him, or her, for giving you a chance to be with your parents."  
  
"Did you know the consequences of giving me this chance?" Harry asked quietly. Hermione shook her head, blinking back the tears. Harry reached for her, and hugged her tightly. "These dreams I have, they're confusing so you might get confused too," he mumbled as he let her go.  
  
Hermione nodded, and waited patiently.  
  
"It all started with, well, I woke up one day and I was, I am, a muggle. I came down the stairs and my parents were there. It was just another day of my life. A life that was purely muggle, I mean, I didn't know about this-" and Harry waved his hand around him. "I didn't know about Hogwarts, or magic."  
  
"And then, one night, I had this dream. I was here, and I was suddenly this wizard who did lots of magic, and stuff. And I realized my parents were dead, and I felt extremely sad. But I was also confused, because whenever I woke up, I was back to being a muggle and when I slept, I was back to being a wizard," Harry paused. "Does that make sense?"  
  
Hermione slowly nodded. "So now, are you dreaming? Or are you awake?"  
  
Harry swallowed. He, himself, wasn't sure. One minute he was a muggle, sitting beside a muggle Hermione, and the next he was a wizard atop the Astronomy Tower with a witch Hermione.  
  
"Er, you see," Harry began. "Technically, I'm supposed to be dreaming, but two nights ago, this man came to me, in a dream. And he explained it all to me. How, in the waking life I was a muggle and when I slept I was a wizard. So, it's like I'm living two lives, and I now exactly what happens in each life."  
  
"That is confusing," Hermione confessed laughing slightly. She bit her lip then asked, "So right now, are you a muggle? Or a wizard?"  
  
Harry hung his head. "That's the thing. I have to choose, if I want to be a muggle and be with my parents for the rest of my life, or be a wizard and be without my parents."  
  
"Oh."  
  
Harry looked around him. "And I don't know what choice I will make. As much as I want to be with my parents, I still want to be with you and Ron, and be a wizard."  
  
"Are Ron and I there?" Hermione asked. "I mean, in your muggle life are you friends with us?" she clarified.  
  
"Well, see," Harry began but he didn't finish what he was going to say. The world around him dissolved and he knew it was time. 


	16. The Choice within a Dream

The Choice Within A Dream (Le Choix Dans Un Rêve)  
  
Complete Summary: The muggles in the Harry Potter series did not receive their letters from Hogwarts because a very strict Headmaster, who does not accept muggles, runs the school. So Harry, Hermione and Dean Thomas don't know anything about magic or anything that is associated with it (including Ron). It's like Hogwarts never happened.  
Harry lives a normal life, with both his parents and his two best friends, Hermione and Dean. But in a dream, Harry finds himself in a magical world where there is a boy named Ron, where he is famous for a lightning bolt scar but, a world wherein his parents are dead.  
In the end, Harry Potter has to choose between living the life of a muggle, or living in the world of magic.  
  
*Note* I'm putting French translations, because I want to. Hehehe. Hope you like this story, and if you're confused, or you hate it, or you like it =) .then just review and say so. Thanks for the reviews!!! =) Cheers to you readers!  
  
I'm down to the 3rd to the last chapter.oh God, I'm getting more nervous as we get closer to the end. See, I feel as if you'll all hate my ending. ;p You'll get disappointed or something. Thanks for the reviews anyway. I hope everything's clear by now. And yes, it IS an easy choice to make.but as this guy is Harry Potter.well, it has to be hard. =)  
  
Sorry if it's been so long since I last updated.midterms, homeworks, stuff like that! Anyway.no more excuse. I'll finish this story within the week. But hey!!! Submit your reviews, okay?! I want lots of them!!! ;)  
  
Oh, and I took a leaf out of J.K.'s book, and made a spell/charm of my own. ;) Go on and read about it!  
  
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter. That's thanks to J.K. Rowling, not me. :-p  
  
+read, enjoy, review+  
  
Chapter 16 - The Choice Within A Dream (Le Choix Dans Un Rêve)  
  
As Harry's eyes grew focused, his eyes trying to grow accustomed to the darkness. He smelled the familiar scent of the cave he had been in almost two nights ago. He groped around, in search of that same rock he had been sitting on and found out.  
  
Upon sitting down, from his left side, the same glow of light he had seen before illuminated a bent old man hobbling towards him, resting his weight on a cane. Harry did something he realized he should have done before. He walked towards the old man, and helped him.  
  
"Thank you, my boy," the old man said appreciatively.  
  
"Anytime, Sir Richard," Harry replied sitting back down on his rock.  
  
Sir Richard gave a long happy sigh, as though he had been walking for hours and sitting on a rock was now giving him rest. He reached for his cane, and once more, tapped it against the wall three times, whereupon thousands of candles burst out from it, lining accordingly along the wall.  
  
Harry blinked to accustom his eyes to the bright lights.  
  
Sir Richard set aside the cane on his left side. Then he turned to Harry, and smiled. "Well now, Harry, I hope you're ready."  
  
Harry slowly nodded. He knew now what choice he was going to make.  
  
Sir Richard smiled even wider. "That's what I like about you, Harry. You always make a decision. You don't leave things unsaid, or undone," he explained. "Oh no, Harry Potter. That's what's special about you."  
  
They were both silent, Harry unsure of what to say.  
  
"Harry, I don't want to ask about what choice you are going to make," Sir Richard interrupted looking contemplative. Harry looked up at him, feeling a surge of joy. He didn't have to choose now!  
  
"We'll leave that later," Sir Richard continued, and Harry felt his joy burst like a balloon that was punctured with a needle. "I want to talk to you first, Harry. About your life," and upon seeing the look on Harry's face, he hastily added, "Both of them, Harry."  
  
Harry frowned. "Er."  
  
"I'll ask you questions," Sir Richard continued. "And you can ask me anything."  
  
Harry nodded slowly. He didn't know what questions this man wanted to ask him.  
  
Sir Richard surveyed Harry slightly. He coughed, and asked, "Harry, how have you felt these past days?"  
  
Harry didn't know where to start. He looked at Sir Richard. "Well, honestly, sir, I have never felt more confused in my entire life."  
  
At this, Sir Richard chuckled. "Quite understandable, my boy."  
  
"Well, when it first happened, I thought it was just my imagination. But then bits and pieces of my past came back, and I started to recall that I was a wizard too, just as I was also not a wizard. After all, it was like I was living two lives, and one was already driving me crazy, but two!"  
  
"And you must have gotten more confused when you met me? The old man in the darkness?" Sir Richard queried his white bushy eyebrows raised.  
  
Harry shrugged. "Actually, I felt thankful that there was someone who was going to explain all this-this," he paused searching for a better word, "- all this madness to me. And well you did explain it to me. Something about giving me a chance with my parents-"  
  
Sir Richard interrupted, though ever so politely. "Harry, do you remember in your first year at Hogwarts when you stumbled upon something you shouldn't have?"  
  
Harry wrinkled his forehead. "Er, the sorcerer's stone?"  
  
"No, no. That, well, I'd say you didn't stumble upon that one. Why, you and your friends found out all about it, through the slip of Hagrid's tongue, but still," Sir Richard's eyes glinted. "You were bound to found out about that. What else?"  
  
"Something I stumbled upon?" Harry repeated. "Well, I certainly didn't stumble upon being a wizard, right? What then? Being a seeker? That was all Malfoy's doing actually. It was his own stupid fault that-" Sir Richard cleared his throat. And Harry flushed. "Right, right. What else happened?" Harry asked himself.  
  
And then he remember-  
  
"The mirror!" he exclaimed grinning. "The Mirror of Erised, I wasn't supposed to know about that was I? But I walked in that classroom and I saw it there and-and," he stammered. What he had seen in the mirror, his parents and his whole family surrounding him.  
  
Sir Richard nodded. "Now you understand, Harry. And with the help of a simple charm, it is called the *Erised* Charm. I simply said these words out loud - 'Erised stra ehs ihae ver.' and what happened, happened."  
  
"I did want to see my parents," Harry murmured.  
  
"What the charm did was to let you live the deepest desire of your heart," Sir Richard explained calmly. "And so, you were given a chance to be with your parents. That was how, one day, you found yourself waking up and going to Stone Wall High Public School."  
  
Harry nodded disrtractedly. "I just wish-" he paused, knowing in his heart that it was never going to come true. He looked at Sir Richard, holding the tears in his eyes. "I wish I could have the chance of sharing both lives."  
  
Sir Richard smiled at him, but his smile didn't quite reach his crystalline blue eyes. "That is something each and everyone of us hopes for, Harry. A chance to live a live that is so complete that we'll spend the rest of our lives being extremely happy."  
  
Harry looked at his feet, blinking the tears away.  
  
"It's a burden we all share, Harry. We can never have everything we want," Sir Richard finished, his voice gentle.  
  
Harry nodded, understanding everything. He couldn't have both his parents, and be a wizard at the same time. It was either this or that. And it was a choice that he had to make.  
  
"I'm sure you won't regret this, Harry," Sir Richard said quietly. "One day, you'll thank me for this chance."  
  
Harry seriously doubted it. How could he thank a mere stranger for putting him in a situation like this? He didn't want to thank Sir Richard. He wanted to demand to him, to undo all these-  
  
The entire cave fell silent, and only their hushed breathing was heard.  
  
Harry didn't know how long they sat there, just thinking and thinking. Images of his muggle life flashed before his eyes - his father teaching him how to ride a bike, his mother fussing over a wound, he and his parents laughing during Christmas time.his wonderful birthdays, his best friends - Dean and Hermione.  
  
Hermione.  
  
His first love.  
  
And then, images of his wizard-life flashed before his eyes - the day he first met Hagrid and his discovered he was somethimg more, after the Halloween party where he and Ron became friends with Hermione, his knowing about his godfather Sirius Black.the friendship that he, Ron and Hermione shared.  
  
"Harry," Sir Richard's voice seemed faraway. "-once you've made your choice, every memory you once possessed of the other life you lived will be erased. But," he paused his eyes glinting against the flicker of the candles. "-you won't entirely forget."  
  
"I won't?" Harry asked.  
  
"Well, I daresay you won't remember every detail but, you won't forget *everything*," Sir Richard explained, a smile creeping up his face, reaching up to his eyes. "Oh no, not everything."  
  
Harry nodded, not understanding thoroughly, but feeling resolved. He knew now which choice he was going to make. "All right. Then if it's time-"  
  
Sir Richard held up his hands. Harry fell silent, watching as Sir Richard reached for his cane and with a slight flick, all the candles went out. 


	17. Fleeting Memories and Dreams

The Choice Within A Dream (Le Choix Dans Un Rêve)  
  
Complete Summary: The muggles in the Harry Potter series did not receive their letters from Hogwarts because a very strict Headmaster, who does not accept muggles, runs the school. So Harry, Hermione and Dean Thomas don't know anything about magic or anything that is associated with it (including Ron). It's like Hogwarts never happened.  
Harry lives a normal life, with both his parents and his two best friends, Hermione and Dean. But in a dream, Harry finds himself in a magical world where there is a boy named Ron, where he is famous for a lightning bolt scar but, a world wherein his parents are dead.  
In the end, Harry Potter has to choose between living the life of a muggle, or living in the world of magic.  
  
*Note* I'm putting French translations, because I want to. Hehehe. Hope you like this story, and if you're confused, or you hate it, or you like it =) .then just review and say so. Thanks for the reviews!!! =) Cheers to you readers!  
  
Whoa!!! Can I say THANK YOU for the reviewsssss!!! But I want more!!! [haha.spoiled brat?! I just get jealous when I see those stories with a million reviews on it. Or at least, 50+] Anyway, I'm still happy 'coz I've now reached line of 3 with the number of reviews. Well, is that pathetic or what?  
  
Anyway, I know you people are just gonna hate me! [haha, *wink, wink*] Erm, just don't hate me forever, okay? I'll probably make up a sequel, this time it's the side of Hermione. Hehehe. Oh well, go on. Read.  
  
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter. That's thanks to J.K. Rowling, not me. :-p  
  
+read, enjoy, review+  
  
Chapter 17 - Fleeting Memories and Dreams (Rêves et mémoires passagers)  
  
"Harry," a voice called to him. "Oy, Harry! Wake up!"  
  
Harry Potter opened his eyes, and he was back in his dormitory, on his four-poster bed with the scarlet hangings. Pushing himself into a sitting position, he saw his friends getting dressed for another day at Hogwarts.  
  
Then Harry gasped, realization dawning on him.  
  
Had he made the choice?  
  
Was this his choice coming to life?  
  
But how come he remembered all of it? Sir Richard had told him that once he had made the choice he would instantly forget everything. How come he still remembered hanging out with Hermione and Dean? He still remembered his parents. He still remembered being a muggle!  
  
"Oy, you don't want to be late, Harry," Seamus called to him from the other side of the room. He grinned at Harry as he caught his eye then went back to fixing his hair. He kept adding gel on it to make it look all neat and flat.  
  
"Where's Ron?" Harry found himself asking.  
  
Dean, whose bed was beside his, gave him a funny look. "As if you don't know?" he answered in reply. Then he tugged the robes around him and grabbed his schoolbooks.  
  
Harry slowly stood up, thoughts whirling in his head. He changed into his school uniform wondering what had happened. Had it all been a dream? All of it, he asked?  
  
But it couldn't have been. If it had been a dream, it wasn't possible. The time he spent there was so long, something like weeks, and he had only been sleeping for less than ten hours. How could a dream that long be fitted in a time that was that short?  
  
"Arg," Harry muttered frustrated, tugging his robes. He was holding his wand and a few sparks emitted from the tip of his wand, causing some of his sheets to rip.  
  
"Harry," Neville asked nervously, giving him a wary look. "Is it your scar?"  
  
Your scar.  
  
Harry's hand flew to his forehead. So, his scar was still there. He was once more Harry Potter, boy wizard, the boy who lived. He shook his head. "No, Neville. It's not."  
  
"Come on," Dean called out, waiting impatiently by the door of their dormitory. Seamus and Neville grabbed their stuff. "Coming, Harry?"  
  
Harry looked up. "You go on. I'll just catch up."  
  
But instead of getting ready, Harry dropped back down on his bed, trying to reason out the thoughts on his head. It couldn't have been a dream, could it? Everything? From the moment he woke up for the first day of his senior year up to the point he was going to make his choice?  
  
It couldn't have been, he told himself.  
  
And he thought about the last thing he remembered. He was ready, he was going to tell Sir Richard what he was going to choose when Sir Richard had grabbed his cane and the whole cave went dark.  
  
And then, he was roused by the sound of Dean's voice. When he opened his eyes, he was back at his dormitory. What had happened?  
  
Maybe Sir Richard didn't entirely know what he was doing, Harry thought. There was probably some sort of side effect from the Erised charm that he did not know of. And that was why Harry remembered everything.  
  
But if he had made a choice, how come he chose this?  
  
How come he chose going back, living on as a wizard who had to fight the Dark Lord? A wizard who had no parents?  
  
Thinking of his parents brought tears to his eyes. He missed them so badly. Even if Harold Potter was different from James Potter, it didn't matter. Both of them were his fathers. His parents were what he had when he was a muggle. Now, he was back to being a wizard, and he had lost them. And not only that, he also had lost Hermione.  
  
How he loved her.  
  
He knew in his heart seeing her with Ron would probably kill him, if not, break his heart. He sat there, feeling thoroughly sad. He hated having to be Harry Potter. Why did this all happen to him? He never asked for it.  
  
"I wanted to give you a chance to live a life with your parents."  
  
Sir Richard's words echoed in his mind. That was what it all was - a mere chance to know what it was like. Harry thought about Sir Richard. He still didn't recognize who the old man was. But he was so much familiar.  
  
There was something in his eyes that Harry recognized.  
  
"Harry! Aren't you ready yet?" a voice interrupted his confused thoughts.  
  
Harry looked up, and saw Ron, standing at the doorway. "I don't feel so good," he mumbled lamely.  
  
Ron gave him a skeptical look. "Are you sure? You just beat Slytherin yesterday. The last time I saw you, I swear, you looked like Wood did way back when we won the Quidditch Cup since Charlie," he said. "Was it all the butterbeers? The pasty?"  
  
Harry shook his head. He had been so intent on sorting out his dream, whatever it was, that he hadn't given a thought to the present. Now, he remembered clearly the game. "No, it surely wasn't that," he replied. He grinned at Ron. "We beat Slytherin, huh? Well, suddenly I'm feeing much better."  
  
Ron laughed. "Come on. Let's gloat over breakfast. I just saw the Slytherins, they sure are sulking."  
  
Harry hesitated. Breakfast at the Great Hall meant seeing Hermione. He didn't know how he was going to deal with seeing his best friend's girlfriend whom was none other than the love of his life. "Er, where's Hermione?"  
  
Ron snorted. "Having a grand time with Professor McGonagall. They've been bonding nonstop lately."  
  
Harry grinned. He heard the bitter note from Ron's voice. No doubt Ron wanted to be bonding with Hermione. "Well, Hermione would surely miss McGonagall once we leave."  
  
"You'd think that," Ron said as they descended the staircase. "But I think Hermione's coming back here to teach. She'll probably become like McGonagall herself, and then she'd meet another little know-it-all whom she'll like instantly and-"  
  
Harry laughed. "Okay, Ron. I get the picture!"  
  
Ron flushed deeply. "She's been telling me to come back here, and replace Madame Hooch. Or maybe teach too," he explained. "I told her I'd rather live of like Hagrid than teach and be working with Snape."  
  
"Wow," Harry mumbled. "Imagine if we taught here, Ron, we'd be *equals* with Snape."  
  
"All the more chance of his poisoning us," Ron grumbled. Once they walked inside the Great Hall, his eyes lit up and he almost ran towards the table and started piling his plate.  
  
"Thinking of teaching here, Harry?"  
  
Harry turned around and he met clear blue eyes. He staggered back. "Pro-Professor Dumbledor," he stammered. And he knew.  
  
"Well, I'd certainly welcome you to my staff," Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling before he walked off towards the teacher's table.  
  
Sir Richard.  
  
Dumbledore was Sir Richard!  
  
Harry stared at Dumbledore. So did that mean that his dream was real? It wasn't a dream? If Sir Richard was real, then, his being a muggle was real too? And he did make a choice? And this was his choice coming to life?  
  
"Oy, Harry!" Ron called. "Hurry up, or there won't be anything left!" 


	18. Once Upon A Dream

The Choice Within A Dream (Le Choix Dans Un Rêve)  
  
Complete Summary: The muggles in the Harry Potter series did not receive their letters from Hogwarts because a very strict Headmaster, who does not accept muggles, runs the school. So Harry, Hermione and Dean Thomas don't know anything about magic or anything that is associated with it (including Ron). It's like Hogwarts never happened.  
Harry lives a normal life, with both his parents and his two best friends, Hermione and Dean. But in a dream, Harry finds himself in a magical world where there is a boy named Ron, where he is famous for a lightning bolt scar but, a world wherein his parents are dead.  
In the end, Harry Potter has to choose between living the life of a muggle, or living in the world of magic.  
  
*Note* I'm putting French translations, because I want to. Hehehe. Hope you like this story, and if you're confused, or you hate it, or you like it =) .then just review and say so. Thanks for the reviews!!! =) Cheers to you readers!  
  
Oh, you hate me now, don't you? [just don't sever any part of my body] =p  
  
I've thought about this from the start, and this is how I wanted it to end. Sorry to disappoint, everyone. This is the last chapter. I haven't begun to think about the sequel so I don't know when I'll be posting it. But there has to be, right? With what I have been writing, there has to be.  
  
Anyway, this is it. The end. Some of you might think it sad, or boring, or overly dramatic but I like how it all turned out. It's kind of long [compared to my other 6-paged chapters, this one has 10 pages]. Hope you enjoyed the show with me. See you, soon!  
  
Thanks for reading my story!  
  
+cheers to you readers+  
  
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter. That's thanks to J.K. Rowling, not me. :-p  
  
+read, enjoy, review+  
  
Chapter 18 - Once Upon A Dream (Une fois sur un rêve)  
  
Harry stared at the grounds of Hogwarts. With the use of his trusty broom, he had flown up to the Astronomy Tower to get away from everyone, and everything. He lay there, staring at the stars, twinkling down at him.  
  
He heard the rustle of feathers, and when he looked to his right, there was Hedwig. She flapped her wings and landed beside him. She rubbed her head against his arm.  
  
"Hello, Hedwig," Harry mumbled caressing her feathers. "Unbelievable, isn't it? In a few days, we'd be leaving this place and we won't be coming back."  
  
Her eyes looked sorrowful.  
  
"Seven years with me, in this place," Harry said softly. "I don't know what I'd do after this, Hedwig. Probably be an auror, as McGonagall said once. Or I could try for the Quidditch league, or-" he stopped. He didn't want to be thinking about the future.  
  
"Harry? Whom are you talking to?" Hermione's sweet voice asked from behind him.  
  
Hedwig rustled her feathers and departed into the night. Harry grinned sheepishly at Hermione. "Well, I was talking to Hedwig but now she's left me."  
  
Hermione giggled slightly. "I have a confession to make," she whispered as she sat down beside Harry, staring into his eyes.  
  
"You do?"  
  
She nodded, and gazed at the sky, then she looked back at Harry. "I've always heard you talking to Hedwig."  
  
Harry blushed. He'd been talking to Hedwig for ages. Who knew what kinds of things Hermione had heard him say to Hedwig?  
  
"Er, did you hear anything that would, er, put me in a embarrassing position?"  
  
Hermione laughed, shaking her head. "Oh no. I wouldn't do that to you, Harry. You're too kind. Don't worry. I didn't stay that long to listen to you. I knew I was interrupting a private moment, and I left."  
  
"Well, thanks," Harry said with relief. "Not many people would leave. In fact, they'd rather stay and listen, and then put me in a compromising position the next day."  
  
"I surely don't have anything against you, Harry Potter. So no need to worry about me doing that," Hermione responded, reassuringly. "And just for the record, not many people talk to their pets."  
  
"Yes they do!" Harry exclaimed, looking at Hermione. "Animals are great listeners."  
  
"And people are not?" Hermione challenged.  
  
"Well, not all people," Harry answered hastily. "I meant, animals just let you talk and talk and they understand you completely. They don't try to feel sorry for you, or anything."  
  
"That's the same with people," Hermione remarked indignantly, but she was smiling. "People do let you talk until you've said what you wanted to say. And they don't feel sorry for you. People understand more how you're feeling because they went through what you went through."  
  
"Did you go through being an orphan?" Harry asked in defense.  
  
Hermione stared at Harry. "Harry, I-"  
  
"Don't say you're sorry, because you don't know what it's like to loose your parents, to not even know your parents," Harry snapped.  
  
Hermione looked at him, her eyes hurt at what he had just said. If he only knew... "Harry, you have no idea," she whispered though Harry heard it.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Never mind," Hermione said shaking her head. "Okay, animals do make better listeners because their parents died too. They know what you went through."  
  
"Hermione, all I'm saying is," Harry sighed deeply. He was getting frustrated because she was near him, and every time she was near him, he couldn't help but think about the love that he lost. "Just forget about it, alright?"  
  
They were both silent for a while, each with their own thoughts until Hermione broke the silence, speaking in a soft frightened voice, "Harry, I'm worried about you. Ever since you've," she paused, her voice breaking, "-I don't know if it's because Ron and I are together, and you think we want you out because we don't. We're still the best of friends, Harry. You know that."  
  
No, Harry thought miserably. If you only knew how much I loved you.  
  
"Harry, please tell me," Hermione pleaded, her eyes now shining with tears. "Every time I.I see you, I feel so worried. Is this about Voldemort? Is he bothering you again?"  
  
Up until that moment, Harry didn't think that all these could've been the workings of the Dark Lord himself. After all, Professor Dumbledore said that Voldemort could control minds. Was he the one behind all this? But what about Sir Richard, was he real or not?  
  
"No, it's not that," Harry mumbled, more to himself than to Hermione.  
  
"Then was it, Harry?" Hermione persisted.  
  
Harry looked at her, his eyes sad. He would tell her, just not now. Not when he didn't understand it all himself. "Hermione, I don't know what to tell you. It's," he paused searching for a better word. "-complicated. I don't understand it myself."  
  
Hermione nodded. "I wish you'd tell me, Harry. I really do."  
  
"I will, Hermione," Harry answered. "In time, I promise you I will."  
  
Hermione stood up. "Don't forget you made a promise," she said softly to him.  
  
Harry's eyes clouded over, because he remembered a promise that they both made but she surely had already forgotten. And he remembered that moment.  
  
"Harry," she had said that last Saturday morning he had spent with Hermione. She had smiled sweetly at him. "How are you feeling?"  
  
In reply, he bent down and kissed her lightly on the lips. "Much better when you're here," he murmured and he truly meant it. "I love you, Hermione."  
  
"Oh Harry, je t'aime," whispered Hermione blissfully. "I love you."  
  
"Promise me you won't forget me," Harry whispered to her, nuzzling her hair.  
  
Hermione leaned back, and frowning slightly, she stared at him with questioning eyes. "Harry, what are you saying?" she asked. "What's going on? You look so sad half the time, are you alright?"  
  
Oh, she had looked so worried for him. She didn't know.  
  
"Promise me," he insisted, caressing her cheeks.  
  
"Of course I won't forget. I love you, with all my heart," Hermione reassured. She looked in his eyes, trying to read his mind. She wanted so much to know what had been troubling him for so long. "Harry, I won't forget you. I love you so much."  
  
"But you will. He said you will," Harry muttered distractedly.  
  
Back at the present, atop the Astronomy Tower, Harry gazed longingly at Hermione. There was no way that she would've remembered the love they shared in a different world - a world where there were no flying broomsticks, incantations or spells. A world where magic was sometimes called 'love'.  
  
Hermione looked him in the eye. "A promise is a promise," she said softly.  
  
He looked away, at the endless night sky, and turning back to her, he nodded. "I promise I won't forget."  
  
With a contented smile, Hermione left.  
  
----------  
  
It was a clear sunny day as students of Hogwarts all set out on the platform. Harry couldn't believe it. He was never going to see Hogwarts again.  
  
Before he stepped onto the train, he turned around for one last look.  
  
"Yeh'll be back, 'Arry," a gruff voice said.  
  
Harry grinned at Hagrid. "Well, I made it, Hagrid. I'm a real wizard now."  
  
"Real wizard? Yeh 'av always bin a wizard ever since you wa' jus' a baby," Hagrid replied smiling at him, his black beetle eyes full of warmth. He drew Harry in a tight hug and when he pulled away, a tear glistened in his eyes. "Yeh're so tall now," he choked out.  
  
Harry chuckled. "I grew up, Hagrid."  
  
Hagrid nodded and blew his nose with a cloth the size of a blanket.  
  
"Oh, Hagrid," Hermione's gentle voice cried out. She stepped out from the train, and hugged Hagrid. "I'll miss you."  
  
Ron nodded, and hugged Hagrid as well. He tried to speak except what came out was a choked sound of, "Agrid." Ron swallowed the lump on his throat, refusing to cry.  
  
"Well, no' as much as I'll miss the three o' yeh," Hagrid said rubbing his eyes. "Yeh three were the greatest bunch o' people I know, except Dumbledore himself, o'course."  
  
The train whistled and everyone else clambered on board.  
  
"We'll see you, Hagrid," Hermione called, tears glistening in her eyes. "Goodbye!"  
  
"See you, Hagrid! I'll probably came back to teach," Ron finally cried out.  
  
Harry grabbed hold of the train, as pulled himself inside. He stuck his head out as the train began to pick up speed. "We'll come back, Hagrid. And I'll write always, Hagrid. Thanks for everything!"  
  
Hagrid howled as he waved goodbye to them, blowing his nose every now and then on the oversized handkerchief he had. Harry watched from the door, as Hogwarts moved further and further away and Hagrid became but a small dot in the distance, until he was entirely gone.  
  
He wondered when he would be seeing Hagrid again.  
  
He wondered if he'd be seeing Hogwarts again.  
  
He did want to go back and maybe tell Dumbledore what had happened to him, the dreams he had. He suspected that Dumbledore, at least, had something to do with the Erised Charm. And Harry realized that someday, he'd be returning to Hogwarts where he and Dumbledore would talk about the effects of the Erised Charm just as he and Sir Richard had.  
  
The three of them trudged towards their compartment with heavy hearts. Graduation always meant it was the end but they didn't want it all to end. Not just yet. Hogwarts was such a fantastic place and it all made them feel miserable that they won't be coming back ever.  
  
"I'll miss Hogwarts," Hermione said mournfully.  
  
Ron nodded in agreement. "Definitely not Snape, though."  
  
Harry shrugged. He wasn't exactly best friends with Snape, but he had found out more about Snape to ensure that his old Potions Professor surely wasn't on the side of Voldemort. But that didn't mean he was going to miss Snape.  
  
He was surely going to miss Hagrid. He told himself he'd come by Diagon Alley every now and then, just to see if Hagrid was there.  
  
"Wonder what's going to happen now," Ron mumbled gazing out the window.  
  
"Work, of course," Hermione replied absent-mindedly. "I don't think I'm going to be a dentist, though," she added with a half-smile on her face.  
  
Harry looked at Ron and Hermione, wondering if they'd be getting married.  
  
"What kind of work do you think?" Ron asked.  
  
"Well, the Ministry of Magic is always a good start," Hermione replied.  
  
Ron snorted. "I'm not the type for that."  
  
Hermione smiled understandingly. "I realized that, Ron. Neither am I," she explained, "I mean I'd really rather go back to Hogwarts and teach. Imagine, I'd be working with McGonagall, and I'd be teaching new wizards and witches-"  
  
"How can you stand teaching little brats? Can you just imagine what we were like before?" Ron interrupted, a revolted look on his face.  
  
"Well, no one asked you to teach," Hermione snapped, blushing. "You can always try for a Quidditch team or something."  
  
Ron cast a sideways glance at Harry. "Dunno. You'd wanna try, Harry?"  
  
Harry stared at Ron. "Maybe," he replied with a shrug. "I just don't know how I'd want to spend the rest of my life," he paused thinking about his parents and wondering how they would've spent the rest of their lives. "I'd probably be like my dad and mum."  
  
And they all fell silent, each with their own thoughts. They were all thinking about the late Mr. and Mrs. James Potter. They had fought the war against Voldemort, until they died. Harry decided in his heart he was going to do the same thing. He was not going to rest until Voldemort was defeated.  
  
Unbeknownst to him, Hermione and Ron made the same pledge in their hearts.  
  
The mood lightened as though a spell was cast upon the compartment. Harry understood why. It was because of what had just happened. All three of them had made the same pledge and he knew, they'd stand together.  
  
For the rest of the trip, they talked about their times at Hogwarts, where they were joined by their other fellow Gryffindors. They talked about the times they had spent at Hogwarts as friends and sometimes enemies. But as the train neared King's Cross Station, Harry felt a surge of joy as he gazed at the young faces of his friends.  
  
This scene was forever going to stay in his mind. But later on, he found out that Colin Creevey was standing outside the door with his camera that had been bewitched to take pictures even beyond closed doors, and Colin had taken a picture of the Gryffindor seventh years on their last train ride, for the last time they'd be together as a group.  
  
As they alighted from the scarlet steam engine that used to take them to Hogwarts and away from it, Harry felt another tinge of sadness. But as he saw his godfather waving at him, along with Lupin, his sadness was replaced with joy. He grinned broadly as he approached them.  
  
"Oh, it's good to see them," Hermione said happily, and ran towards her parents.  
  
Ron did the same, walking briskly towards Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and their sons, with Ginny in tow. Mrs. Weasley started gushing over how proud she was of her youngest son, and George and Fred told him that they too were proud of 'Ronniekins.'  
  
"How you doing, Harry?" Sirius Black asked, clapping a hand on Harry's shoulder.  
  
"Alright," Harry replied as Sirius' strong arms engulfed him a tight hug. He heard Sirius sniff and Harry felt awkward. Why was his godfather crying for?  
  
Sirius pulled back. "Your mum and dad are proud of you, Harry."  
  
Harry stared back at him, feeling a lump forming in his throat. Hearing Sirius talk about his parents as though they were alive made him feel hopeful. He nodded at Sirius.  
  
"We are proud of you, Harry," Lupin added smiling.  
  
Sirius stepped back, and Harry hugged Lupin. He was, after all, more than just a teacher. He was his father's friend and his, too. Harry grinned as he pulled back, looking at the two men who meant so much to him. They were his friends, his brothers and sometimes, his father - he couldn't decide which.  
  
"Thanks a lot, Sirius and Remus," Harry said truly meaning it.  
  
"Aw," Sirius began grinning. "My godson has graduated. Well, how does it feel like, now that you're a full-fledged wizard who can do anything?"  
  
"I can join the Order now," Harry said suddenly. He hadn't expected that.  
  
Sirius and Remus looked at each other, then back at Harry. "You sure can," Remus said, and Sirius nodded fervently. "We'd be glad to have you as a member."  
  
"Now come on, enough about that," Sirius interrupted lightly. "Molly's got a scrumptious party waiting for us, all because of the three of you graduating. Come on," he said as they walked towards the Weasleys and the Grangers.  
  
Mrs. Weasley immediately swooped down on him, and hugged him tightly, tears in her eyes. "Harry, congratulations!" she choked out.  
  
"Now, now, Molly, you don't want to strangle Harry," Arthur Weasley soothed as he gently pried his wife's arms off Harry. He smiled apologetically at Harry, saying, "Good to see you, Harry."  
  
Harry grinned at him, while Ron beamed. "Mum's prepared food for us!"  
  
"Shall we go then?" George asked, checking an imaginary watch.  
  
Fred nodded beside him. "We still have lots to do than spend time with-"  
  
"Oh, shush, Fred," Mrs. Weasley interrupted growing annoyed. "You both shall be spending time with us at Godric's Hollow and not at that joke shop of yours-"  
  
"Mum!" Fred cried out in alarm.  
  
"I sure missed this," Harry whispered to Hermione who giggled.  
  
"We have to work!" George exclaimed. "It was you who told that we need to work-"  
  
"Now is not the time for this," Mrs. Weasley scolded. She looked around at everyone, saying, "All right everyone know what to do?"  
  
Harry grinned. She meant they were going to apparate to Godric's Hollow, which had been his home for the past two years and he was excited to see it again and Dobby, as well.  
  
"What?" Ginny asked confused.  
  
"Oh right," Mrs. Weasley said as though she just remembered something she had forgotten. "Ginny hasn't been doing good on her apparating skills."  
  
"Er," Hermione began. "Neither have my parents."  
  
Everyone laughed, except the Grangers who looked confused. "What's apparating?" Mr. Granger asked, looking expectantly at Hermione.  
  
"Disappearing from one place and reappearing in another," she answered without missing a beat.  
  
Ron snorted. "We're no longer in class, Hermione."  
  
"I knew that," Hermione replied hotly, as a blush rolled up her cheeks.  
  
"We'll find a fire grate for the Grangers to use," Lupin said wryly.  
  
Sirius nodded. "We have to get home now before Dobby tears the house apart with all his 'Welcome Harry, Ron and Hermione' banners and not to mention all the lions he'd be making," he said seriously. Turning to the three, he added as an afterthought, "I daresay you'd find him and Winky getting along more than you expected."  
  
Harry's mouth fell open. "Dobby? And.and.WINKY?"  
  
"Ooh, Harry, just imagine," Hermione cried out, clearly delighted. "You'd have a family of house elves!"  
  
"A FAMILY OF HOUSE ELVES?!" Ron exclaimed, a revolted look on his face. He turned to Harry and said, "Just think, house elves wearing hats and socks, and other clothes. You'd run out of socks by next Christmas!"  
  
"Ron, don't be stupid," Hermoine argued annoyed.  
  
"What?" Ron cried out indignantly.  
  
The two kept arguing as they wheeled their trolleys out of the station into the gateway to the Muggle world. Harry hung back a bit.  
  
"You okay, Harry?" Siruis asked.  
  
"I'm not sure," Harry mumbled though he wasn't sure if Sirius heard it. He himself didn't know if he was going to be all right. Now, Hermione loved Ron and there was nothing he could do about it. He should, after all, be happy for his friends.  
  
But he was happy for the way things were turning out now. He'd be spending lots of times with the people that he loved the most. And he knew that his parents were watching him, guiding him, up to the day he would be joining them.  
  
As everyone began talking about magic and witches and wizards, Harry could still remember that far-off place, in a dream, where there were no witches or wizards. Where he went to the local Public School. Where Hermione loved him, where his parents were alive. Where he did not know magic, except the magic that was of love.  
  
It was strange. If he were given a choice, he still would have chosen..  
  
[THE END] 


End file.
